Lord ‘lost’ speakership because he’s ‘absentee,’ ‘tamad’ – Lray

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco has lost the fight for the House speakership because he is “an absentee congressman and ‘tamad (lazy)’,” according to Deputy Speaker Lray Villafuerte.

The Camarines Sur lawmaker on Monday said

Velasco lost the speakership to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano “because of his failure to prove to his peers his capability to lead as Speaker of the House.”

“He already lacked the gravitas, experience and skills compared to Speaker Alan from the start, what’s worse was he was an absentee congressman, he was always missing in action, and his peers called him ‘tamad.’ He did not perform as congressman, he did not perform as chairman of the energy committee which convinced the supermajority his inability to lead the chamber,” Villafuerte said.

“In most of the major issues surrounding the house , where was cong Velasco? Where was he when we passed the anti-terror law? Where was he during the deliberations on the ABS-CBN franchise? Where was he during the Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2 when Congress worked double time and overtime to pass the said measures?” he added.

“Where was he on all major issues surrounding the House?” Villafuerte said.

He said the Speaker should have a strong voice and a principled stand on major issues.

“You cannot lead the House by being silent and ‘tamad’!” Villafuerte said.

“And lastly, despite the announcement of the term sharing deal, he should not have assumed the support of the majority, he still had to earn it which unfortunately he did not . He lost by default because of his own fault and actions,” he added.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)