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Cayetano says 2021 budget of Speaker Velasco's allies increased; Yap refutes claim

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/10/09/velasco-cayetano.jpg"/><figcaption>House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.<em> ABS-CBN News/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA— Ousted Speaker Taguig-Pateros 1st district Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called for transparency as he claimed lawmakers who pushed for his ouster received huge increases in next year&#x27;s spending plan.</p><p>The Senate passed the proposed 2021 budget on Thursday, more than a month after the House transmittal, paving the way for the bicameral conference committee to reconcile both versions.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/26/20/senate-passes-p45-t-2021-national-budget-zeroes-in-on-covid-19-response">Senate passes P4.5-T 2021 national budget; zeroes in on COVID-19 response</a></li></ul><p>Cayetano said lawmakers who spoke against him--those allied with House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco--received &quot;between P300 million to (sic) P1 billion.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/25/20/speaker-velasco-allies-got-noticeable-increase-in-district-budget-lacson">Speaker Velasco allies got &#x27;noticeable&#x27; increase in district budget: Lacson</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Nadagdagan na sila from the House to the Senate kaya pala atat na atat na nung October 14 na before that mag-takeover kasi nga may mga pondong pinag-uusapan,&quot; he told reporters.</p><p>(Their districts&#x27; budgets increased from the House to the Senate. That was why they were so eager to take over before October 14.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/29/20/velasco-to-replace-cayetano-as-house-speaker-on-october-14-source">Velasco to replace Cayetano as House Speaker on October 14: source</a></li></ul><p>“So ang proposal ko para maiwasan na &#x27;yung batuhan ng putik tapos hindi naman totoo, bago i-approve ang bicam, makita ng sambayanan saan inilagay &#x27;yung pondo.&quot;</p><p>(My proposal to reduce mudslinging, make public the proposed budget before it is approved.)</p><p>Velasco replaced Cayetano on Oct. 13 as the latter was ousted as he sought to extend his stint at the House helm even as their term-sharing agreement was due. The power scuffle imperiled the timely passage of the spending bill.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/13/20/velasco-lords-over-house-cayetano-out-as-speaker-ahead-of-special-session-on-2021-budget">Velasco lords over House, Cayetano out as Speaker ahead of special session on 2021 budget</a></li></ul><p>Cayetano said his allies were among those who got the least in the 2021 budget. </p><p>“Ang ginawang isyu sa akin, lahat daw ng nakadikit daw sa akin, malaki pondo,&quot; he said.</p><p>(They claimed all my allies had huge funds.)</p><p>&quot;Yun pong sinasabi na masyadong malaki pondo, sa CamSur, na tinamaan ngayon ng bagyo, ni wala siya sa Top 10, number 14 siya.&quot;</p><p>(The one from CamSur, which was hit by a typhoon, was not even among the top 10 with the highest budget, he was 14th.)</p><div><strong>Cayetano claim &#x27;impossible&#x27;</strong></div><p>House Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Eric Go Yap on Wednesday disputed the claim, saying no one touched the proposed budget except him and urged lawmakers to check the bill.</p><p>&quot;Malabong mangyari na nakakuha ng mataas na allocation pagdating sa GAB (General Appropriations Bill) &#x27;yung mga allies ni Speaker (Lord Allan) Velasco,&quot; he said.</p><p>(It&#x27;s impossible that Speaker Velasco&#x27;s allies got a high allocation in the GAB.)</p><p>&quot;Ang pinasok ko lang na amendments diyan ay agency-initiated or &#x27;yung mga amendments ng agencies lang. &#x27;Yung mga congressman na gustong magpadagdag, wala namang lumapit sa akin and hindi ko rin papayagan kung mayroon man.”</p><p>(The only amendments I made were agency-initiated. There were no lawmakers who approached me and asked me for an increase and I would not have agreed if there were any.)</p><p>Velasco has yet to address the issue as of posting.</p><div><strong>-- Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gWDDn5_n3g?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Ousted Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called for transparency as he claimed lawmakers who pushed for his ouster received huge increases in next year's spending plan.</p>

Ousted Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called for transparency as he claimed lawmakers who pushed for his ouster received huge increases in next year's spending plan.