Gentlemen

It’s called a gentleman’s agreement, so the one who doesn’t honor it, for whatever reason, is no gentleman.

Honoring such agreements is entrenched in Philippine culture. The onus of compliance seems heavier in the vernacular: if it’s usapang lalaki, magpakalalaki ka – man up and show you have a word of honor. (Obviously, ladies, the term was coined before women’s lib.)

In the brawl over the post of House speaker, Alan Peter Cayetano may have the numbers in his chamber (as of Wednesday, Sept. 30, that is), but all I hear from ordinary, unbiased folk is that one must always honor an usapang lalaki.

Especially because among the lalaki or men to which he gave his word is President Duterte no less.

Even that House vote of confidence for the status quo merely reinforces public perceptions about the opportunistic, navel-gazing nature of Philippine politicians. Of course no one wants to lose his position and preferred committees in the chamber.

And no one wants to let go of power. Noynoy Aquino is so right. Having served in both chambers of Congress before becoming president, he said his familiarity with the nature of politicians was the principal reason why he could not back economic Charter change. You can never trust lawmakers, he said, not to inject their personal political agenda into any effort to amend outdated economic provisions in the Constitution.

The senators at least are better: Sen. Koko Pimentel peacefully, willingly honored his term-sharing deal with Vicente Sotto III, turning over the post of Senate president in 2018.

*      *      *

Cayetano’s camp has been lambasting his rival, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, accusing him of being a good-for-nothing lawmaker who refuses to participate in the legislative process.

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, on the other hand, defends Velasco, pointing out that staying on the sidelines was in fact part of the gentleman’s agreement, to give Cayetano full rein and allow him to shine during his 15 months as House chief.

Before that 15-21 term sharing was forged, the buzz was that congressmen found Cayetano obnoxious – but this was probably coming from the camps of his rivals at the time.

My rare encounters with Cayetano have all been pleasant. Shortly after the term sharing was brokered by Duterte, I ran into him at a party, during which he told me with a wide grin that the so-called Magellan formula (for 1521, the year our islands were “discovered” by European colonizers) was a done deal.

I don’t know Velasco from Adam, but his supporters swear the laid-back congressman has the better character in the speakership brawl.

*      *      *

There is speculation that Cayetano’s tenacious grip on his post – including the wrangling over congressional budget allocations for 2021 – is a prelude to the battle for a higher position in 2022.

Cayetano is a stalwart of the Nacionalista Party, whose head is the “brown taipan,” Manny Villar. While the Villars and the NP were among the few staunch supporters of Rodrigo Duterte in his 2016 presidential bid, their billions – and the possibility that a member of the clan is eyeing a stab at the presidency in 2022 – could be threatening the ambitions of certain individuals and their power blocs.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar is deemed to be too young for the presidency, and patriarch Manny Villar is reportedly quite happy running the family’s business empire.

That leaves Sen. Cynthia Villar, who topped the Senate race last year. Lately there has been a discernible effort to discredit her, coming from one particular power bloc.

If it’s not her, the other “presidentiable” of the NP is Cayetano. Losing the speaker’s post will push him off the national stage in the critical year before the elections.

The regular squabbles over individual appropriations reinforce the impression that congressmen are only selfish, dynasty-building creatures whose principal concern is getting a fair share of representation in congressional committees and their pork barrel.

Congressmen must look after the micro needs of a local constituency, including the expenses for “KBL” – kasal, binyag, libing (wedding, baptism and funeral) – and, in this pandemic, expenses for gadgets and the other requirements for blended learning.

Malacañang learned ages ago to use this need for funds to push its legislative priorities in the House. Once Congress passes the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA), the executive actually wields the power of the purse. The Department of Budget and Management can sit forever on fund releases for the districts or pet projects of uncooperative congressmen.

Funds can also be released to sway votes for certain bills, or to kill impeachment complaints. Congressmen can say no to the funds and exercise independence from Malacañang, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

This power of the executive over the House of Representatives can trump even that show of force for Cayetano last Wednesday. Loyalties can shift overnight, literally, in what a former majority floor leader referred to as the HOR.

*      *      *

Does Wednesday’s vote herald the independence of the House? But why was presidential mediation sought in the first place?

Several congressmen have said the House is no Palace rubberstamp, and it is truly an independent and co-equal branch – except, they admit, in the selection of a speaker.

With the House vote last Wednesday for Cayetano, people are wondering what Malacañang’s next move would be. For now, it simply wants to have the 2021 GAA passed. But once the national budget is passed, the executive can show its displeasure over the rebuff of an agreement brokered by the President himself.

Cayetano has made good use of his 15 months to make his colleagues want him to stay on as speaker. What makes him so indispensable to his colleagues, however, is what has made every House speaker (or ex-speaker) who has sought the presidency since 1992 a loser: Ramon Mitra Jr., Jose de Venecia Jr. and then Manny Villar.

The horse-trading and consensus building that are indispensable in running a chamber with about 300 members also give the speaker the unsavory image of being the ultimate traditional politician. Pinoy voters have consistently shown an abhorrence for trapos.

That screaming on the House floor by Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu of the NP, one of the 22 deputy speakers (a landmark number for the post), calling for a vote of confidence in Cayetano did not help improve the trapo image.

Even with the vote, the discussion keeps going back to the original issue: if you can’t be trusted to honor your word to the President of the republic and leader of the administration coalition, how can you be trusted with anything?