It ain’t over yet

As expected, the Speakership battle took turn for the worse in a “rump” session last Monday. It was held away from the august halls of the 18th Congress in Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. Specifically, the breakaway lawmakers held it at the social hall of the Celebrity Sports Plaza also in Quezon City. It was held on the eve of the four-day special session called for by President Rodrigo Duterte that was supposed to start yesterday.

Amid the needs to get ahead of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, President Duterte wants Congress to pass into law the proposed 2021 budget before the end of this year, lest the government to operate anew on another re-enacted budget. To this end, President Duterte called for special sessions after the tumultuous Speakership battle led to the suspension last Oct.6 of House sessions one week ahead of their scheduled one-month recess.

At the height of the speakership tug of war, the House of Representatives abruptly approved the P4.5-trillion 2021 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on second reading. Then Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano formed a committee of House members to handle the GAB but reassured all Congressmen their individual amendments would still be entertained.

It was a maneuver to foil the take over of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on Oct. 14 as resignation and voting for the speakership post are done only during plenary sessions. Reiterating he is willing to step down as Speaker by Oct.14 as earlier agreed upon, Cayetano offered to resign but his loyal allies got 184 votes to reject it.

This took place a few days even after both Cayetano and Velasco met with President Duterte at Malacanang to amicably set into motion their “gentlemen’s agreement.” Forged no less in the presence of the President himself two years ago, the two House leaders agreed on their so-called “15-21” term sharing of the Speakership, or the first 15 months to be served by the former Speaker and Velasco will take over on the last 21 months of the 18th Congress.

While the sessions to oust him was taking place, Cayetano called a press conference at the Batasan where he was presiding the committee going through the 2021 GAB and decried the “rump” session. But the 186 Congressmen who voted Velasco as their new Speaker insisted it was legitimate, valid, and therefore could not be called as “rump” sessions.

As defined by Merriam Webster dictionary, “rump” refers to small or inferior remnant or offshoot especially a group such as parliament carrying on in the name of the original body after the departure or expulsion of a large number of its members.

But in this case, not one of the House members is expelled nor has left the so-called “super coalition” in the 18th Congress. They are just divided, if not jumping the fence between Cayetano and Velasco.

This fits in the other definition of “rump” as a person’s lower extremities referred to as buttocks. No wonder the House of Representatives is at times called the “lower” House.

The Velasco camp showed a manifesto of support signed by leaders of political power blocs or parties under the “super coalition” in the House to resume sessions even if Cayetano-led majority suspended it. Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez who appeared online and voted virtually in favor of Velasco as their new Speaker, argued the venue could be irrelevant for as long as the warm bodies of these congressional representatives elected by their respective constituents were physically present and duly accounted for. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, amended House rules allow virtual presence via their online sessions.

But loyal supporters of Cayetano countered a “fake” mace was used to legitimize the conduct of “rump” sessions outside the Batasan halls. Also from the Merriam Webster dictionary, it describes the mace as “an ornamental staff borne as a symbol of authority before a public official or a legislative body” like the House of Representatives.

And don’t forget the favorite magical numbers game that House leaders love to play around with. As of last count of the total members of the Lower House stood at 297, with three of the lawmakers passed away during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

As per head count done by Albay Rep.Joey Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee who was originally identified with Cayetano’s camp, noted the 186 votes comprised 111 lawmakers physically present at the Celebrity Sports Plaza; 45 online Zoom votes; and 30 votes via Viber mobile phone.

But Cayetano swore – sans his favorite bible – he still has the support of 200 of the 297 congressmen who signed as of Monday the manifesto of support to him. This, he cited, were obviously more than the 186 who voted for Velasco.

Averting what could be more tumultuous episode at Batasan, Cayetano claimed he peacefully gave up his fight. Through Facebook live from his residence in Taguig City. Cayetano announced his irrevocable resignation as Speaker while his House colleagues reenact their installation of Velasco as their new Speaker – this time legitimately at the plenary hall of the Batasan.

Accepting finally it was fait accompli, the erstwhile Speaker apologized for his “mistake” and having “mis-understood” the expressed desire of President Duterte to push the 2021 budget to mean he would be the one to do it.

Also apologizing to President Duterte in his acceptance speech yesterday, Velasco though accused the “ruling clique” led by Cayetano and his cohorts in Congress to keep the stranglehold over the proposed 2021 budget bill. With the new Speaker at the helm, the approval of second reading of the 2021 GAB was recalled yesterday and brought back to plenary debates.

The battle now shifts to congressional shares in the budget pie.

This set the tone of the meeting again of both with President Duterte at Malacanang later yesterday. I wish we could say the proverbial “all’s well that ends well.” But definitely, it ain’t over, until it’s over until the fat lady sings, as another idiom goes.