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MANILA, Philippines – President Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies were trying to hold on to their posts in their bid to grab most of the 2021 national budget, just as they did under the previous spending law, the representative of Marinduque, Lord Allan Velasco. .
“The question for President Cayetano and his peers: is this a budget for the nation or a budget for his clique? Is this a responsive budget in the middle of a pandemic or just another big budget for your group? “he asked in a Facebook Live post.
Velasco issued the statement in response to the Cayetano camp, which it said had intensified its attempt to paint it as “power-hungry and evil.”
The Marinduque representative cited the shared term agreement “15-21” with Cayetano, who agreed to serve as Spokesperson for only 15 months, after which Velasco would take office for the remaining 21 months until the May 2022 elections.
Cayetano’s ‘Long Drama’
Velasco said that despite repeated dialogues with President Rodrigo Duterte on the subject of public speaking, Cayetano chose to turn his back on the agreements forged and instead starred in a “long drama” on Tuesday that culminated with 184 congressmen who they voted for Cayetano.
Who has no word of honor? It is up to you to judge, ”Velasco told his audience without, however, mentioning if he had the numbers to overthrow Cayetano and deliver the 2021 budget on time.
Instead, Velasco asked Cayetano to keep his word to Mr. Duterte on complying with the shared term agreement, adding: “Finish the budget and resign on October 14.”
But Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte taunted Velasco on Saturday.
Villafuerte said in a statement that the current leaders of the Chamber cannot monopolize the 2021 budget because it was Malacañang who did it in the first place.
According to Velasco, the Spokesperson’s attacks against him, which portrayed him as “inactive and lazy,” were only intended to undermine the shared term agreement.
Velasco called the accusations “complete falsehood” and said he was perceived as an absent legislator only because he chose to work “in silence and away from the cameras.”
He said members of Congress were allegedly aware of questionable budget allocations, which had also sparked consternation and complaints in recent days over the uneven distribution of project funds across legislative districts.
“Is that why President Cayetano and his cronies are inflexible and fight fiercely for the peaceful transition of the House leadership? Is that why President Cayetano is trying to blackmail President Duterte and hold the budget hostage if his term is not extended? he said.
According to Velasco, lawmakers want to work on a “fair and equitable budget for health care and health facilities, poverty alleviation and education.”
He also dismissed allegations that he had been conspiring to stage a coup against Cayetano, in violation of the shared term agreement.
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