Alan Peter Cayetano has joined Manuel Villar as the only legislators of the post-World War II era to hold the distinction of heading both houses of Congress. Although both benefitted from a term-sharing arrangement—Cayetano in the House, Villar in the Senate—the circumstances surrounding their ascent and descent could not have been more different.
Villar's Path to Leadership
Villar comfortably won the speakership. However, when he steered the passage of the articles of impeachment against Erap Estrada, his colleagues turned against him and replaced him with Arnulfo Fuentebella. He lost the speakership but gained the nation's admiration.
In the Senate, Villar's aspiration for the presidency ran into a huge obstacle in the person of Franklin Drilon, who was just as ambitious to lead the Upper House. Mutual friends brokered a solution to the emerging rivalry: term sharing. Drilon would serve the first half, and Villar the remainder of the term. Ever the gentleman, Drilon stepped down when his share of the term ended and even nominated Villar to succeed him.
Cayetano's Similar Struggle
In the House more than 10 years later, Cayetano found himself in a similar situation, this time with Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque as a foil to his ambition. Before the bitter rivalry could escalate further, then President Rodrigo Duterte intervened and saved the administration coalition from disintegrating by convincing the rivals to agree to term-sharing: Cayetano for the first 15 months and Velasco for the remaining 21 months of the 18th Congress.
However, as the end of Cayetano's share of the term drew near, it became increasingly clear that he was not inclined to honor the agreement. In an attempt to hold on to power, Cayetano suspended the House session and locked the session halls. Velasco's camp, however, assembled at the Celebrity Sports Plaza and there elected, all 186 of them, Velasco as House Speaker. Cayetano dismissed the assembly as fake but eventually stepped down after Duterte intervened again.
Recent Developments
Last month, Cayetano got himself elected Senate President by his group of 13, including Bato dela Rosa, who had been hiding for months to evade the arrest order of the International Criminal Court. Dela Rosa would later reveal that it was Cayetano who asked him to resurface. He would later disappear into the night after the election. There is a mounting call for Cayetano to resign. It would be a miracle if he does. Giving up is simply not consistent with his character.
