Latest news from the 2nd District
ARIS IS IN THE HOUSE Top photo’s Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (right) greets newly-minted Speaker Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque shortly after the latter got elected as House Speaker on Monday.
Aris explains he voted for Velasco, to help a friend
by JUNE S. BLANCO
Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District said in voting for Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco of Marinduque as new House Speaker, he was “helping a friend”.
Aumentado “made haste” and flew to Manila by private plane – fetched to be just in time for last Monday’s, Oct. 12, 2020, election.
The solon had already expressed his support for Velasco even before the latter and erstwhile Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano of Taguig-Pateros entered into a gentlemen’s agreement – sealed with a handshake, and witnessed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte – to share the three-year term of the House speaker.
Cayetano drew flak from the public when he “railroaded” the 2021 proposed national budget into approval on second reading, and declared a recess. Solons across the country assailed the approval in the session via Zoom after they had tried to register their dissent but could not as they were muted – and could not unmute themselves either.
Some went as far as holding up signs that they opposed, but were still not acknowledged – resulting in the approval.
To prevent any such muting incidents from nulling his vote, Aumentado took that plane ride in order to be physically present.
The congressmen, however, managed to enter the session hall earlier ordered closed by Cayetano. Seeing that Velasco already had the numbers – and realizing that there were flying voters from among those who voted to reject his “offer to resign”, Cayetano relented.
After the solons ratified Velasco’s election, Cayetano finally tendered his resignation.
In his speech, Velasco said a gentlemen’s agreement is the strongest form of pact, stronger than any written contract. Both parties are bound by palabra de honor or word of honor to keep their end of the bargain.
But he did not dwell on Cayetano’s seeming hardheadedness when the latter had earlier refused to keep his word even when requested to do so by President Duterte.
Aumentado said he was elated when Cayetano finally realized the error of his ways.
“Now that the squabble has been resolved, it is high time to roll up our sleeves, pore over the proposed budget, give our ten cents’ worth if needed, but approve the budget all the way,” he said.
A sizable amount is in the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) to bankroll efforts in combatting the coronavirus disease 2019 (CoViD-19), and helping the economy to perk up again after being felled by the pandemic.
Aumentado likens a reenacted budget as having to fight CoVid-19 but with both arms clipped.