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Former President Alan Peter Cayetano signed a manifesto from the Nationalist Party (NP) in which he expresses his support for newly installed President Lord Allan Velasco, making it unlikely that Cayetano will join the minority in the House of Representatives, said the Thursday the representative of Surigao del Norte, Robert Barbers.
“The rumor that we will become a minority is not true,” Barbers said during a virtual press conference, adding that the 44 NP members in the House, including Cayetano and his wife, Taguig’s representative Lani Cayetano, have signed the manifest.
“I don’t think there is a possibility of President Alan becoming a member of the minority,” Barbers told reporters. “It is very clear in our manifesto that as a bloc, as a group headed by former spokesman Alan, we are supporting President Lord Velasco.”
In a separate statement, another party colleague from Cayetano and Las Piñas representative, Camille Villar, daughter of Senator Cynthia Villar and sister of the Sec. Obras Públicas. Mark Villar said the NP would “work closely” with Velasco to pass President Duterte’s legislative agenda, particularly the 2021 spending bill.
“The Nationalist Party, along with my esteemed House colleagues in the party, is also committed to the speedy passage of the 2021 national budget that truly reflects the needs of the people and is not simply based on the requirements of the districts,” he said. Villar. He said.
Barbers said that while the NP did not want changes in key positions in the House, the party recognizes that it remains Velasco’s prerogative to accommodate allies who supported his candidacy for the conference.
The congressman made the remarks amid speculation that Cayetano would move to the minority due to the rancorous contest for the speaker’s position. On Wednesday, one of Cayetano’s staunch allies, the representative of the second district of Camarines Sur, Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr., was removed as vice president, a move that Villafuerte said betrayed revenge.
“His vindictiveness just shows that we were right all the time and exposes the kind of ‘leadership’ we can expect,” he said.
“Despite what happened, I will continue to support the President’s legislative agenda as much as I can. But if the new leadership chooses division over unity, backtracking rather than moving forward, and rejecting our offers of cooperation, that is no longer up to me, “he added.
The minority, on the other hand, welcomed Cayetano’s supposed move into the ranks of the 25-man bloc that would potentially skyrocket to 69 votes.
“We welcome you,” said Manila’s minority leader and representative Bienvenido Abante. “If you are willing to fill the position of minority leader, I would be happy to give it to you.” Abante said in an interview with reporters.
But Abante doubted that Cayetano even wanted to join the minority.
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