Solón to Cayetano on the Casa fiasco: ‘If you trust your numbers, why do this?’

MANILA, Philippines – A congressman from the party list on Wednesday questioned the validity of the second-reading approval of the national budget for 2021 amid objections from several lawmakers, saying this is not indicative of President Alan Peter Cayetano’s confidence in the number of congressmen. supporting your speech.

“If you trust your numbers, why do this?” Sharon Garin, a participating representative from AAMBIS-OWA, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Garin, whose alliance with Cayetano’s political rival, Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Jay Velasco, made her one of the latest victims in the dispute for the speaker’s position, protested the recent events in the House of Representatives. – such as the supposed modification of the proposed budget for 2021 and the suspension of the session until November, was part of Cayetano’s bid to extend his mandate despite the shared term agreement.

“Even on our Zoom, maraming trying to turn on the sound and then they can’t do it, so I don’t know, I doubt it’s talagang tama ‘yung pagkakagawa, but that’s the way they play it,” Garin said.

Garin said the termination of the 2021 proposed budget debate period despite having several government agencies still lined up for scrutiny of his funding proposal is depriving the public of hearing the discussions.

The legislator said that the process followed by the House in its unexpected advance approval of the proposed budget was “highly irregular.”

“Why shorten it? This is a very important discussion for the Filipino people and also for the president because he wants a quick but fair and equitable budget. Pwede palang i-cut lang na anytime ‘yung budget discussion which is very important, ”said Garin.

When asked if he believed that Cayetano had ended the debate period to avoid a possible challenge to his speaker from Velasco’s side, Garin replied: “I think so, yes.”

“Because if you trust your numbers, why do this?” Garin said.

It’s not over yet for Velasco

However, Garin believes this is not over yet for Velasco’s bid as speaker.

“It is not over. I personally believe that this is not over. A lot of things will still happen in the near and distant future and I would recommend Congressman Velasco to continue because that is what the president wanted,” Garin said.

The legislator, who accompanied Velasco when Duterte met with him and Cayetano to resolve the presidential dispute, said the president was “clear” in his pronouncement to comply with the shared term agreement.

“If that were the agreement and the President’s suggestion that we have received, then I would defend the President because he is the top executive we have and he is the leader of the PPD which is the leading party at the moment,” Garin. He said.

“With all due respect to all iba supporters at ibang speakerables, I am endorsing whoever the president would prefer to have as a spokesperson and that was clear to me,” Garin said.

Garin has become one of the latest “victims” in the line of speakers between Cayetano and Velasco when she was stripped of her chairmanship on the House economic affairs committee.

To recall, during Tuesday’s session, Cayetano moved to end the period of debates and amendments to the proposed 2021 budget in an attempt to disprove Velasco’s claims that he was holding the funding proposal hostage.

With the debate and amendment period closed, a motion was made to approve the 2021 budget proposal at second reading. The motion was seconded and approved.

Consequently, the session was suspended until November 16, “in accordance with the legislative calendar,” which means that the session was suspended prior to the expected confrontation of speakers between Cayetano and Velasco on October 14, when it was expected that the Members of the House vote who would sit at the helm. of the lower house.

EDV

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