The Senate will work with the House of Representatives regardless of who sits as Speaker as long as they have the same vision, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Monday.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"We can work with any Speaker as long as we have the same perspective," Sotto said in a text message.
Congressmen said House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco will make good their term-sharing agreement following a meeting with President Duterte on Tuesday night.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson also said the changes in the House leadership will not affect the Senate and its members.
"No matter who leads the House, the Senate - or at least like-minded senators who choose to be the vanguards against the legislative abuse of the power of the purse - will not be affected," Lacson said in a statement.
"We will continue to exercise what is expected of us in exercising our mandate and our obligation to the Filipino people in this regard," he added.
Sotto said the two chambers of Congress chambers can continue to work together on priority measures through the "mini" Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, which has yet to meet since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
Meanwhile, opposition Sen. Leila de Lima likened to a "mafia" the Lower Chamber for seeking Duterte's advice to settle their dispute. The legislative branch, she said, should be independent of the President.
"Ganito mag-away ang mga mafia (This is how mafias fight). Pupunta sa Godfather para ayusin ang gulo nila (They will go to their Godfather to solve their problem)," she said.
"Hindi Mafia ang turing dapat sa Kongreso. Hindi dapat ginagawang Speaker ang mga tuta ng Pangulo. Para na ring si Duterte ang ginawang Speaker kung ganito rin lang ang nangyayari sa House (Congress should not be treated as a mafia. Cronies of the President should not be made House Speakers. It's like Duterte is made a Speaker if this continues in the House)," she added.
Cayetano and Velasco, both allies of Duterte, had agreed to share terms during the 18th Congress wherein the former will sit as Speaker for the first 15 months, while the latter would assume the post for the remaining 21 months.
Cayetano has yet to make a formal announcement on the said resolution to the speakership issue, but his allies said the Taguig representative expressed to Duterte his willingness to give way to Velasco.