Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 22) — Majority of the House of Representatives heeded the call of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday to elect Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano as House Speaker.
Cayetano was nominated by his former rivals for the speakership, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.
He received 266 of the 297 votes. His lone rival for the speakership, Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante, received 28 votes. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman voted “no” to either nominations, while two other lawmakers abstained.
President Duterte, who does not have a vote in who gets to lead the co-equal branch of government, had given his coveted endorsement to Cayetano. He proposed Cayetano will lead the House for 15 months and then hand it over to Velasco for the remaining 21 months.
Cayetano said he will uphold this, specifically saying he will only serve for 15 months.
“Sana po ako’y maging worthy at sana po’y tulungan niyo ko para sa loob po ng 15 buwan ay mapagsilbihan natin ang ating mga kababayan nang mabuti,” he said.
[Translation: I hope to be worthy and I hope you will help me for 15 months to serve our people well.]
The newly-elected speaker said the House of Representative, under his leadership, will be an ally of the Duterte administration.
“The House of Representatives, the House of the people, are partners with the Duterte administration,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano was Duterte’s running mate in the 2016 elections. He was appointed by the President as Foreign Affairs Secretary in May 2017. Before he became DFA Chief, Cayetano was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agrarian Reform and Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2016 to 2017.
Other House leaders
Still in line with Duterte’s endorsement, Romualdez was elected as House Majority Leader. Duterte refused to endorse just one lawmaker because Cayetano, Velasco, and Romualdez are all Duterte allies.
Reps. Paolo Duterte, Ferdinand Hernandez, Evelina Escudero, Loren Legarda, Conrad Estrella III, Prospero Pichay Jr, Roberto Puno, Eduardo Villanueva, Aurelio Gonzales Jr, Johnny Pimentel, and LRay Villafuerte. Their specific designations were not identified.
