resumptive Speaker Lord Allan Velasco sits at the Speaker’s rostrum for the first time after he was elected at the helm of the House. Photo courtesy of Diwa party-list Michael Aglipay
MANILA, Philippines —It’s official: Alan Peter Cayetano out, Lord Allan Velasco in.
This came after the House ratified Velasco’s speakership election during Tuesday’s (October 13, 2020) session held earlier than the 3 p.m. schedule.
With Deputy Speaker Conrado Estrella III presiding, Deputy Majority Leader Rimpy Bondo moved that nominal voting be conducted to ratify the election of Velasco as Speaker.
This was done in a bid to remove questions over the legality of the proceedings at the Celebrity Sports Club on Monday where 186 lawmakers “elected” Velasco at the helm of the lower chamber.
Following the nominal voting, 186 lawmakers voted to ratify Velasco’s election.
On Monday, Cayetano called the proceedings at the Celebrity Sports Club a sham.
This is a developing story.