House installs Alan Peter Cayetano as speaker
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 12:48 p.m.) — After a speakership row prior to the opening of the 18th Congress, Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros) has finally gained his seat as speaker of the House of Representatives.
With 297 lawmakers present, 266 members of the House voted in favor of Cayetano, 28 voted for Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Manila), two abstentions and one no vote.
Presidential son Rep. Paolo Duterte (Davao City), Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) and Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte) nominated Cayetano for House speaker.
These three lawmakers earlier expressed interest in the speakership post.
President Rodrigo Duterte had announced that Cayetano and Velasco will share terms as House speaker while Romualdez will be majority leader.
Paolo, meanwhile, said that he is against any term sharing agreement and stressed that this deal was between the three other lawmakers and his father.
In his maiden speech as House speaker, Cayetano said the lower chamber of Congress is a "partner" of the Duterte administration.
"As we seek to win the campaign against drugs, criminality, and corruption, we also seek to win the battle against poverty and other things that are ailing the Filipino people and the nation," Cayetano said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray
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