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.Monday, Iulyf,Z0fg@
1' AWMAKERS have declared the
I termsharinginthespeakership
Ll race as dead as such arrange-
meni will only imperil the legislative
agenda ofthe 18th Congress.
Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, Su-
rigao,del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel
and dirakalusugan Party-list Rep.
Mike Defensor said the decisions of
lawmakers to reject the term-sharing
agreeiarent will save the,chamber
from divisive leadership.
"Insisting on term sharing is in-
dicative ofweakness, if not political
sloth. Theywanttobe spoon-fed, be-
reft of any mandate from members of
the House of Representatives," Cas-
tro, president of the National Unity
Party (NUP), said.
Earlier, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cay-
etano claimedthat President Duterte
hinrsel,f is pr,rshingf or a term-sharing
deal 6etween him and Marinduque
Rep. lord Allan Velasco to address
the isiue in the speakership race.
The election for the next speaker
will be held on July 22, the same day
as the President's fourth State of the
Nation Address.
Under the agreement, Cayetano
said he would occupy the speaker-
ship post' for the first 15 months
while the remainin1 21 months of
* Fr.rccr -,4.16 u
the 36thmonth of the 18th Congress
will be by Velasco.
Some Iawmakers have said the
term sharing between Velasco and
Cayetano is the "easiestway" to elimi-
nate others eyeing the speakership.
Pimentel on (ayetano
ACCORDING to Pimentel, Cayet'ano
is seeing a defeat in the speakership
race that'swhyhe is insisting his term-
sharing agreement with Velasco.
Pimentel said in an interview that
Duterte is clear in saying he will not
interfere in the speakership race as
all three candidates for the chamber's
highest position are his friends.
"I hope the good Congressman from
Taguigwill not be offended, because he
could already see that Velasco already
[has] the numbers," Pimentel added.
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