'Untenable working relationship' reason for Ungab ouster - Cayetano

MANILA - Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday that Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab was unseated as chair of the House appropriations committee due to "untenable working relationship."

"The reason sa pagtanggal ni chairman Sid is simple lang -- untenable working relationship," he said in a press briefing.

(The reason chairman Sid was removed from his post is simple -- untenable working relationship.)

"Wala akong sinasabi sa pagkatao niya, kaya nga lang, 'yong working relationship hindi na productive eh," he added.

(I'm not talking about his character, but our working relationship is no longer productive.)

• Davao City Rep. Ungab out as House appropriations committee chair

Ungab was replaced by ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap upon the approval of the lower chamber.

His removal came after reports that lawmakers were restive over a budget department circular that classifies funds for lawmakers' projects for later release and subject to certain conditions.

• 'Unacceptable': Sara Duterte's party blasts ally's ouster from key House post

The regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), which Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio chairs, earlier slammed Ungab's ouster calling it "unacceptable."

"For HNP, the ouster of Ungab was grossly unacceptable as it is disadvantageous to the Duterte administration’s reform agenda for the Filipino people and the country," the party said in a statement.

On his Facebook page, Ungab expressed gratitude for his party's support.

"As I have said, the truth will always prevail. Guided by my conscience, I will not falter as I stand by on how I have delivered and managed our national budget, ensuring that the projects, plans and programs of the Duterte Administration will succeed," the lawmaker wrote.

Responding to HNP's statement, Cayetano said that while he respects the party, his role as Speaker must come first.

"The bottomline is, with 15 months [in my term], I want to do my best... Kailangan ko ng working relationship na maganda," he said.

(The bottomline is, with 15 months, I want to do my best... I need a good working relationship.)

Amid talks of a looming coup against his speakership, Cayetano warned those supposedly hatching the plot.

"They're going to get what's coming to them," he said.

Cayetano had accused camp of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco of being behind the coup, which the latter described as "far from truth."

• Velasco camp behind plot to oust him, Cayetano says
• Velasco denies Cayetano 'coup' claims, says to uphold term-sharing pact

Cayetano said he would honor the term-sharing agreement with Velasco brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte following a divisive speakership race in 2019.

"Sa akin, walang question. May pangalan akong kailangan protektahan. I don't want to be a liar to all of you," he said.

(For me, there's no question. I have a reputation to protect. I don't want to be a liar to all of you.)