Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the session which elected Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco as House Speaker was “fake.”
“Ang Celebrity Sports Club ay hindi naman Kongreso [Celebrity Sports Club is not Congress], it creates a disturbing precedent. Ngayon may fake session na ginagawa,” he said in a press conference.
The majority of lawmakers, which were believed to support Velasco, held a session on Monday at the Celebrity Sports Complex in Quezon City.
With 186 affirmative votes, the Speaker’s post became vacant. 1-PACMAN Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero then formally nominated Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco as Speaker of the House.
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said that a majority of House members, constituting a quorum, can resume the session at the beginning of the session.
He added that most attendance members could also hold sessions outside the regularly designated venues under the Constitution.
During the said session in Celebrity Sports Club, the lawmakers also elected a “new” Secretary-General and Sergeant of Arms of the House of Representatives.
Atty. Jocelia Bighani-Sipin was elected as Secretary-General of the chamber while retired Police Major General Mao Aplasca was installed Sergeant of Arms.
Session that elected Velasco as House Speaker ‘fake’ – Cayetano
Currently, the House Sergeant-at-Arms is Ramon Apolinario, who also said the mace the lawmakers used in their session is not official.
House Secretary-General Jose Luis Montales also said the four historical maces of the chamber and the one currently used are with the House Sergeant at Arms.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II also said the session held by Velasco’s camp was “illegal” as they have no authority from the plenary to hold the event.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano earlier suspended the session until November 16 after the second reading of the proposed 2021 national budget.
“There is no authority from Plenary to reconvene today,” said Gonzales.
“Unlike in the Batangas session, there is no plenary Resolution authorizing to hold session in any other place other than in the Plenary in Batasan, contrary to the Constitution,” he added.
“These prove that what they are doing is clearly a rump and illegal session where the Rules of the House will not apply and can not be used,” he said.