Sotto says NPC fully supports President Duterte and whoever will be House Speaker
October 08, 2020 05:05 PM
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the NPC is in full support of whomever President Rodrigo Duterte chooses to be House Speaker.
"As Senate President and as a co-member of a co-equal branch, or a co-equal parliamentary courtesy is concerned, hindi kami dapat makialam sa leadership nila."
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the House members from the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) will follow whomever President Rodrigo Duterte decides to be House Speaker.
The Palace, however, has repeatedly stated the President's stance on the matter: it is purely an internal issue of the House of Representatives, so he will refrain from interfering with the Speakership row between the current Speaker, Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco.
"As Senate President and as a co-member of a co-equal branch or a co-equal parliamentary courtesy is concerned, hindi kami dapat makialam sa leadership nila, (we shouldn't meddle in their leadership issue)" Sotto said in an online interview.
At present, Sotto is the head of NPC which has 49 members in the House.
According to Sotto, his party, NPC, has long been accused of "being an enemy"—some claiming they support Velasco, while others say, Cayetano. But as far as the head of the party is concerned, he believes they only support the President.
"I can live with Speaker Cayetano, I can live with Speaker Velasco,” Sotto added.
In 2019, President Duterte brokered a term-sharing agreement between Cayetano and Velasco which states that Cayetano will only be House Speaker for 15 months, followed by the latter for 21 months.
