POLITICAL discussions of netizens online are mostly about how Lord Allan Velasco is just plain stubborn.
Netizens highlighted that were it not for his bullheadedness and defiance of President Rodrigo Duterte, there would have been no speakership race to speak of in the first place.
Representative Alan Peter Cayetano has, after all, long agreed to President Duterte' s proposal for a term-sharing agreement between him and Velasco to resolve the speakership issue, but the congressman from Marinduque has insisted there should be only one person holding the highest post in the House of Representatives -- and that’s him.
Velasco has held on to this stubborn position despite President Duterte's ultimatum during a Cabinet meeting on July 1 where he said that Velasco can accept the term sharing deal with Cayetano or he can say goodbye to his dream of becoming Speaker.
Velasco should understand that a power-sharing agreement works actually more in his favor.
The congressman from Marinduque is after all, the most inexperienced and least qualified among the aspirants for Speaker.
Although Velasco is considered to have already served two terms as congressman, he was able to occupy his post for only one because he was sworn into office on the last session day of Congress in 2013, after he unseated Regina Ongsiako Reyes as representative of Marinduque in the 2010 polls.
Velasco was chair of the House energy panel in the 17th Congress, which unfortunately, did not pass any major law.
And then there is the glaring truth that Velasco has not done much for the Duterte administration.
Take note that Velasco originally supported Grace Poe in 2016. And last May 13 polls, Grace Poe again topped the senatorial race in Marinduque. Bong Go and other candidates close to President Duterte barely won there.
Velasco has never defended the Duterte administration against its critics. He has never stood up for any issue or advocacy.
Velasco should just stop being bullheaded and accept the proposed term-sharing agreement.
Respectfully, the good congressman from Marinduque should stop acting like a spoiled brat. (Paid for by Mylene Alfonso)