Duterte, Cayetano meeting after solon rejected his resignation

METRO MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte met with House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano after the House of Representatives denied his offer to resign from his post over the speakership fued with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.

According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the meeting was scheduled two weeks ago, calling it  “a coincidence,” as the Palace denied the lawmaker gatecrashed an appointment to talk to the President.

He said that Brother Eddie Villanueva scheduled a meeting to pray over the President. Also present in the meeting were Cayetano’s wife Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano and his sister Senator Pia Cayetano.

Duterte met with Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco last Tuesday night amid the term-sharing issue.

Under the agreement which the President endorsed in 2019, Cayetano will take over the position as the speaker for the first 15 months while Velasco will succeed on the remaining months.

After the House of representative denied Cayetano’s resignation, Roque said that the President will respect this as this issue is concerning the lower house. Roque added that the President cannot force, intimidate the House members into voting one way or another. He added that the controversy is over and the President is now urging the House to pass the 2021 national budget that will include funds to support and fight the Coronavirus pandemic.