House Asst. Majority Leader and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo on Wednesday, March 17 doused cold water to speculations that he was intentionally removed as vice chairman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations - a move seen by observers as an indication of a falling out between Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Arroyo, currently chairman of the House Committee on Energy, is a member of Lakas-CMD headed by Romualdez as party president. He is the son of the party founder, former president and former speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“Before we get drowned in speculations as to why I was removed from my post as vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, please let me clarify that I did not get the axe. I personally asked Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco that I be relieved,” the young Arroyo said in a press statement.
Arroyo became the third Lakas-CMD member to be successively relieved of an important post in the Lower House.
A week prior to the Pampanga solon lost his position as appropriations panel vice chairman on Tuesday, the majority bloc sacked Lakas-CMD Reps. Wilter Palma (Zamboanga Sibugay) and Onyx Crisologo (Quezon City) as deputy majority leader and asst. majority leader, respectively.
The twin moves triggered speculations of a falling out between Velasco and Romualdez, with the former rumored to be decided at ousting his former speakership rival as majority leader.
Deputy Speaker and Abono Partylist Rep. Conrado Estrella III described as “fake news” published reports about Velasco’s alleged plan to sack Romualdez.
On Wednesday, Arroyo revealed that it was his decision to give up his job as appropriations panel chief.
“Actually, I already made my intention to be relieved of my duties as Appropriations vice chair known to him when I assumed the chairmanship of the Energy Committee. Being the Deputy Majority Leader also, I was expecting to have my plate full with the new responsibility bestowed upon me,” explained Arroyo.
“Last Sunday, I again reminded the Speaker of my request to be relieved of my post as vice chair of the Appropriations Committee and he gave me his word then that he will personally attend to it,” he recalled.
Arroyo was replaced in the appropriations panel by neophyte Rep. Benedict Allan Reyes of Quezon City.
Palma’s alleged failure to “control” the proceedings on March 1 when Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Michael Defensor delivered a privilege speech was reportedly resented by close allies of Velasco.
In his privilege speech, Defensor accused Velasco of slicing P20 billion from the pension and gratuity fund of military retirees for 2021 and reallocating the amount to finance alleged pork barrel funds of congressmen.
Making matters worse was Palma’s alleged decision to allow the BTS group aligned with Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano to take turns in interpellating Defensor.
In an interview, Defensor defended Palma, saying that the Mindanao lawmaker had “practically begged us” to end the privilege hour. Velasco allies had also begrudged Crisologo’s decision to host Cayetano and his allies during a visit to his congressional district on February 27.