A move to put an end to the brewing controversy that has threatened to divide anew the leadership of the House of Representatives has been put on hold due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s meeting with Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was put on hold after the latter tested positive to COVID-19.
Velasco and Romualdez, who won their respective position due to the intercession of President Rodrigo Duterte, reportedly had a falling out after the speaker ordered last week the relief of Reps. Wilter Palma of Zamboanga Sibugay and Onyx Crisologo of Quezon City as deputy majority and assistant majority leader, respectively.
Palma and Crisologo are members of Lakas-CMD headed by Romualdez.
The political party held an emergency meeting Wednesday, March 17 reportedly to hear out Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin, who was sent as emissary by Velasco.
“I went there to assure Congressman Martin that the speaker will not renege on his pledge to abide by the 15-21 agreement brokered by President Duterte,” Garbin told Manila Bulletin.
“They were supposed to meet next week but Congressman Martin tested positive,” said Garbin.
The 15-21 pact called for a term sharing for the speakership between Velasco and former speaker and incumbent Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano. Romualdez was to serve as majority leader throughout the three-year congressional term.
Velasco’s allies have time and again denied a brewing feud with Lakas-CMD congressmen but Wednesday’s meeting showed this to be untrue.
Usually adversarial to each other, three factions in the Velasco camp have agreed that Palma’s action in supervising the floor is suspicious.
The March 1 plenary proceedings was taken against Palma for allegedly allowing Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Michael Defensor to deliver a privilege speech that lasted for over an hour when Cayetano allies took turns in interpellating him.
In his privilege speech, Defensor accused Velasco of being behind the realignment of P20 billion that was originally intended to finance the pension and gratuity payments for retired military personnel for the current year.
A source said Defensor was supposed to be the last among eight speakers scheduled to deliver privilege speeches but he was given priority by Palma. On the other hand, Crisologo has been accused of disloyalty to the Velasco speakership when he hosted Cayetano’s group who visited his congressional district in Quezon City on February 27.