The Manila Times

Not the first time Cayetano refused to relinquish power — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday said that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is used to holding on to power, citing the leadership crisis at the House of Representatives six years ago when Cayetano refused to step down as speaker. “This is not the first time that he has not given up his position, even though there is already someone else who should be sitting and performing a duty,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino in an interview with DZMM. “As long as he can manage not to yield his position it seems that is what he will do,” she added. Castro was referring to the leadership tug-of-war at the House of Representatives in October 2020 when Cayetano, who had a term-sharing agreement with Lord Alan Velasco, refused to give up the speakership. A majority of 186 lawmakers gathered at the Celebrity Sports Plaze in Quezon City and declared the post of speaker vacant. They then elected Velasco as the speaker. Castro said that a similar scenario is happening at the Senate with Cayetano not recognizing the change in leadership that transpired last June 3. Twelve senators elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and effectively as the acting Senate President. New committee chairpersons were also elected, including Sen. Erwin Tulfo as chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee, replacing Sen. Pia Cayetano. Cayetano insisted he is the “legitimate, legal, and moral Senate President." “Four former senate presidents have said it themselves— don’t cling to your position. It should be for the country, and not yourself. It’s no longer believable that you want to stay in position to serve your countrymen,” Castro said.