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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 22) – With his term as Speaker of the House of Representatives closing in on a deal negotiated by the president, Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Jay Velasco spoke Tuesday to explain his silence amidst problems plaguing the leadership change.
Velasco said he remained silent out of respect for current president Alan Peter Cayetano, whose term as president expires in October.
“My silence does not mean that I am not interested or that I have turned my back on the pact,” he said.
His statement came after presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte would not interfere if members of the House decide not to comply with last year’s agreement for the position of president.
READ: ‘I can do nothing:’ Duterte will not interfere if Velasco loses the opportunity to be president of the House of Representatives
According to the agreement reached by Duterte himself, Velasco is scheduled to succeed Cayetano for the remainder of the XVIII Congress.
However, allies of Cayetano have accused Velasco of carrying out an attempted coup so that he can assume the position of president while the Chamber discusses the 2021 national budget project. Capiz’s representative, Fredenil Castro, also alleged that Velasco broke the term shared agreement by offering committee chairs to legislators.
LOOK: Cayetano aliados: It is not the right time for the change of leadership of the Chamber
In his statement, Velasco did not address the allegations mentioned. He said only that he “worked quietly, away from publicity” to help meet the Duterte administration’s legislative agenda.
“When both parties finally fulfill the agreement, I will show my colleagues the kind of leadership that I stand for. From then on, at the end of my term, my colleagues can judge my loyal service to God, the president and, ultimately, the Filipino people, ”he said.
CNN Philippines correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
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