by Jodesz Gavilan
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco is the son of retired Supreme Court associate justice and now Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr
The feud between House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco reached new heights on Wednesday, September 30.
Cayetano delivered a scathing privilege speech against Velasco over the supposed speakership term-sharing deal. He afterwards offered his resignation as speaker but was promptly rejected by lawmakers.
The continued leadership of Cayetano was what many lawmakers wanted, after all. But on Tuesday night, September 29, President Rodrigo Duterte asked Cayetano to give way. The President's nod for Velasco, however, was no match for Cayetano's influence in the House of Representatives.
Velasco, who was touted by his supporters as supposedly taking over as speaker by October, is now left hanging. Rappler looks into his background.
Judiciary and Marinduque gov't stint
Velasco is a lawyer by profession.
The 42-year-old lawmaker holds an undergraduate degree in business management from the De La Salle University. He obtained his law degree from the University of Santo Tomas and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2005.
Velasco then worked at the Supreme Court, first as court attorney and then as judicial staff head, according to his profile.
Working in the judiciary was not a surprise for the young lawyer, who also headed the local chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He is also the son of retired SC associate justice Presbitero Velasco Jr who also held several high-ranking positions prior to being appointed to the High Court in 2006.
Lord Velasco also served as Marinduque provincial administrator under then-governor Jose Antonio Carrion before joining Congress.
It was during this period that he chaired the tourism
council of the province and "undertook projects to promote the province as
a haven for sports adventure and community-based tourism," according to
his website.
TANDEM. Representative Lord Allan Velasco (right) is the son of incumbent Marinduque Governor and retired Supreme Court associate justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.
Family of politicians
Velasco was first elected representative of the lone District of Marinduque in 2010, winning against Edmundo Reyes, son of then-incumbent representative Carmencita Reyes – the "nanay" of the province who also held the gubernatorial position for 3 terms.
His election in 2010 was the first foray into politics of the Velasco family. It didn't take long for them to cement their place in local politics.
In 2013, his mother Lorna joined Congress as representative of AMA party list and served until 2016.
Lorna is the incumbent mayor of Torrijos. The family patriarch, retired justice Presbitero, became Marinduque provincial governor after winning in the 2019 elections. He retired from the Supreme Court in August 2018.
Previous Congress issue
The leadership struggle is not the first tussle for Velasco. He was previously embroiled in an electoral protest 3 years after entering politics.
After first joining Congress in 2010, Velasco tried to get reelected in 2013 but lost to Regina Ongsiako Reyes, a member of the influential Reyes clan in Marinduque.
Velasco protested Reyes' assumption on the grounds of being a naturalized American citizen. The Commission on Elections canceled Reyes’ certificate of candidacy on the same basis.
In February 2016, after years of battling it out at the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and the Supreme Court, Velasco took his oath of office as Marinduque representative.
Velasco ran again in 2016 and 2019, winning in both instances.
NOCHE BUENA 2016. The President in his home's dining table, appearing to be checking what's for Noche Buena.
Close to Duterte?
The last 4 years saw Velasco with greater power than ever before, especially since he enjoys close ties with President Rodrigo Duterte himself.
The Velasco family's victory against the powerful Reyes clan
in Marinduque was also attributed to Duterte. (READ: Will the Duterte-backed
Velascos prevail in Marinduque?)
The President has also spent important occasions with Lord Allan Velasco's own family. He attended a baptism of Velasco's daughter and spent Christmas Eve with them in 2016.
DEAR PRESIDENT. The Velasco couple is close to President
Rodrigo Duterte.
PHOTO FROM LORD ALLAN VELASCO'S INSTAGRAM
Lord Allan Velasco is married to Rowena "Wen" Amara. They have 5 children.
Wen heads the Pilipinong May Puso Foundation, a charity group launched in 2016 that is supposed to support projects in honor of Duterte's late mother Soledad Roa Duterte. Business tycoon Ramon Ang was known to be the biggest donor of the foundation.
In 2018, Duterte called Velasco the next House Speaker.
After almost two years, Velasco's path to becoming lord of the House was still
blocked. What next?
This article first appeared on Rappler.
