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Velasco says close ties with Duterte family propelled him to position

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MANILA - Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on Friday said his close ties with the Duterte family has helped propel him to his position in politics now.“I won’t deny that. I’m just a lowly congressman from the island province of Marinduque. Napakaliit lang namin (We are very small),” said Velasco, reacting to a comment on the show Headstart on ANC that his claim to fame is his closeness to the President’s family.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/09/20/nadenggoy-tayong-dalawa-velasco-says-duterte-felt-fooled-by-cayetano-move-to-stay">&#x27;Nadenggoy tayong dalawa&#x27;: Velasco says Duterte felt fooled by Cayetano move to stay</a></li></ul>Velasco is now contending for the House Speakership under a term-sharing agreement brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte last year, under which Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano shall serve at the helm for 15 months and then give way to the Marinduque lawmaker, who shall serve for the remaining 21 months.October 14 is the date set for the change in House leadership, but Cayetano has sought to stick around, citing the 2021 budget. Earlier this week, he moved for the swift passage of the budget on second reading, terminating crucial deliberations.He then suspended the session until mid-November, which Senators warned could delay passage of the spending plan and lead to a reenacted budget at the start of next year.“Ako kasi, I just want to work quietly, silently sa committee ko. But because of my closeness to the Duterte family, to President Duterte, bigla tayong na-propel dito,” he said.(I just want to work quietly, silently in my committee. But because of my closeness to the Duterte family, to President Duterte, I was propelled here.)He added: “My loyalty is to the President because I believe he is fighting for the Filipino nation. My loyalty to the President is my loyalty to my country.”<div>-- ANC Headstart 9 October 2020</div>

MANILA - Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on Friday said his close ties with the Duterte family has helped propel him to his position in politics now.

MANILA - Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on Friday said his close ties with the Duterte family has helped propel him to his position in politics now.