Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 29) - Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco will be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives starting on Oct. 14, following a meeting with incumbent House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday.
This was according to one of the lawmakers present at the meeting in Malacañang tonight.
Velasco and Cayetano were joined by eight lawmakers each in the meeting.
The meeting came after leaders from the chamber’s majority and minority blocs signed a manifesto expressing their support for Cayetano’s supposed continued term.
In July 2019, Duterte brokered a term-sharing deal between the two, where it was agreed upon that Cayetano will serve for the first 15 months and Velasco taking over as Speaker in the next 21 months.
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) Executive Director Ron Munsayac earlier said in a statement that Velasco’s assumption as House Speaker will mean that the ruling party will finally get a lead in the chamber.
Duterte’s PDP-Laban endorsed Velasco last year for the speakership.
With the latest announcement, Velasco is expected to lead the chamber until the end of 18th Congress in June 2022.
Here's Velasco Bio from Wikipedia:
Lord Allan Jay Quinto Velasco (born November 9, 1977) is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives starting October 14, 2020. He is the current congressman representing the legislative district of Marinduque. He also served as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines President of Marinduque as well as Provincial Administrator of the province under governor Jose Antonio Carrion.
Velasco was defeated in his bid for re-election in 2013 by Regina Ongsiako Reyes, daughter of former Governor Carmencita Reyes(RIP), but Velasco disputed Reyes' victory by noting that Reyes was a United States citizen during the election and was thus ineligible to hold the office.
Both the Supreme Court and the COMELEC upheld Velasco's protest. Despite this, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte maintained that a decision to remove Reyes from her seat is up to the House Electoral Tribunal, where Velasco's case to remove her was still pending. Velasco was later proclaimed as the legitimate representative of Marinduque's lone district and assumed office on February 1, 2016.
He is the incumbent representative of the Lone District of Marinduque and chairman of the House Committee on Energy. He is also the chairman of the Oversight Committee on Solid Waste Management Act and co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission.
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