by Xave Gregorio (Philstar)
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque),
a contender for speakership of the House of Representatives, met with President
Rodrigo Duterte on Monday evening amid the continued row for the top post of
the lower chamber.
This was confirmed to Philstar.com by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and by Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) executive director Ron Munsayac. Velasco and Duterte hail from the ruling PDP-Laban party.
Details of the meeting between Duterte and his close ally are not yet available, but Rep. Doy Leachon (Oriental Mindoro) said that it ended past 3 a.m.
Roque said details of the meeting will be announced during his regular press briefing.
Cayetano had also separately met with Duterte last Wednesday, after he offered his resignation which was rejected by 184 congressmen. The president said then that he respects the House’s vote.
This marks the first time Velasco met with Duterte separately following his and Cayetano’s meeting with the chief executive last Tuesday where they attempted to settle the term-sharing question.
During the meeting, the president insisted that the agreement that he brokered in 2019 — which should see Cayetano step down from the helm of the House after 15 months to give way for Velasco’s 21-month term — should push through.
However, two different stories emerged from the meeting, with Velasco’s camp claiming that Cayetano is set to step down on October 14, while the speaker’s camp says that no definitive date was agreed upon.
This article first
appeared on Philstar.
