Deputy Speaker Buhay partylist Rep. Lito Atienza chided Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor Friday for his attacks against Speaker Lord Allan Velasco over his ouster as committee chairman, saying that Defensor has only himself to blame for it.

Atienza said allies of the speaker were surprised Defensor complained that he was not informed of the plan to remove him as chairman of the powerful House Committee on Public Accounts.  

He disclosed that  many of them were anticipating Defensor’s resignation immediately upon Velasco’s assumption as speaker  last October because this is the “most honorable thing to do under the circumstances.”

“Some people have lost their political sense of ‘delicadeza.’  They made their choice, they must realize that they cannot have the best of both worlds,” said Atienza.

The former Manila mayor said Defensor is a known close ally of former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and joined the movement for the Taguig-Pateros solon’s continued stay as speaker notwithstanding the existence of a term-sharing agreement with Velasco.

“They did every trick in the book, even the dirty ones but they lost.  The most decent thing to do after a crushing defeat is to resign,” Atienza stressed.

Defensor has been tagged as the brains behind the move to oust Deputy Speaker and 1Pacman partylist Rep. Mikee Romero as president of the Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc., allegedly as part of the plot to disable the Velasco camp.  

Currently assigned as deputy speaker for political affairs, Romero was believed to be among the top strategists in Velasco’s speakership bid.

Atienza recalled that it was Defensor who called the House plenary to vote on whether or not Cayetano should be allowed to resign as speaker last September.

The Buhay partylist solon described as “moro-moro” (farce) Cayetano’s offer of resignation and the plenary voting that rejected it. 

Last Wednesday, the House majority voted to remove Defensor as chairman of the public accounts panel.  Probinsyano Ako partylist Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. was elected to replace him.

Defensor accused Velasco of keeping this leadership decision move from him, saying that this act demonstrated the speaker’s “arrogance and unprofessionalism.”

“Mike is a seasoned politician.  He knew he would be removed definitely,” countered Atienza.

Before Defensor’s ouster, the current House leadership booted out from key positions a number of congressmen who played significant roles in blocking Velasco’s assumption as speaker.

The so-called “Cayetano power rangers” who were relieved as deputy speaker were Reps. ElRay Villafuerte (NP, Camarines Sur), Dan Fernandez (NUP, Laguna), Raneo Abu (NP, Batangas), and Fredenil Castro (Lakas-CMD, Capiz).

They were followed by Reps. Ron Salo (Kabayan partylist) and Jonathan Sy-Alvarado (NUP, Bulacan) as contingent head of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and chairman of the Committee on Good Government, respectively.