House Deputy Speaker Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said Sunday said that fellow House leaders who are not supporting Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano should start relinquishing their leadership posts.

He made the call two days after 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero, who reportedly sided with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, was stripped of his deputy speakership post.

“Lahat ng hindi sumusuporta sa panukala at sa mga priorities ng ating Speaker, they should be resigning. 'Yung ating mga kasamahan sa Kongreso with all due respect to them, it is time to resign kung talagang hindi ninyo kayang suportahan ang ating Speaker,” he told DZBB in an interview.

(Those who are not supporting the proposals and priorities of our Speaker, they should be resigning. To our colleagues in the House, with all due respect to them, it is time to resign if you cannot support our Speaker)

During the House plenary session last Friday, Romero was removed from his post after Deputy Majority Leader Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo moved to replace him with Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro.

In a privilege speech, Castro, an ally of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, asked his colleagues who are not supportive of Cayetano’s speakership to resign their leadership positions and "let those who are willing to help and cooperate takeover.”

Fernandez voiced out anew Castro’s call, even as he reminded that his colleagues that “numbers game” prevails in the House.

“Kung hindi mabibigyan ng kaukulang pagtitiwala ang pagkakaluklok ng 184 members na nagsasabi na hindi namin pinapayagan ang resignation ni Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, it is better for you to let go and fight another day,” he said.

(If you do not have faith in the decision of 184 members who are saying that they are rejecting the resignation of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, it is better for you to let go and fight another day)

Fernandez said the term-sharing agreement between Cayetano and Velasco “is a done deal” after Cayetano offered to resign last Sept. 30.

“The majority of the congressmen has spoken by rejecting the offer of resignation by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. As a matter of truth, naganap na ang term-sharing agreement by resigning on Sept. 30 (the term-sharing agreement was a done deal by resigning on Sept.30). Kung gusto nila na ulitin na magkaroon ng resignation si Speaker Alan Cayetano, ay tingin ko 'yun ang absurd (If they want Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to resign again, I think that’s absurd),” he said.

In a statement, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, an ally of Velasco, warned that the unceremonious stripping off from key positions of perceived non-allied leaders does not in any way sow harmony among House members.

"Worse, if these would carelessly persist, the unnoticed growing resentment among congressmen particularly on the issue of their immensely inequitable district budget allocation might later be blown out of proportion to the detriment of the country’s budget on-going deliberation, the urgent legislative priorities and the consequential stained image of Congress by reason of the power struggle,” he said.

He expressed hope that the current House leadership will realize that the congressmen’s shared constitutional duty goes beyond the unilateral grip for power.

"Cong. Velasco, despite the bitter exchanges of accusations, would like to extend gratefulness to Speaker Cayetano for having a commendable stint as Speaker and assure him that no shake-up in committee chairmanships would thereafter happen,” Leachon said.