Paolo Duterte threatens to oust Cayetano over budget allocation

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte is threatening to oust Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on September 21 due to alleged unequal allocations in the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.

Duterte confirmed sending a message in a Viber group of lawmakers expressing his personal dismay over the budget concerns raised by his colleagues.

He stated that he would ask the Mindanao bloc to declare the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speakers vacant on Monday, initiating a formal process for a coup d'état within the House of Representatives.

Duterte's threat follows a previous attempt to unseat Cayetano, fueled by complaints of inequitable district shares in the budget.

He clarified that he was personally dismayed upon hearing the concerns of his fellow lawmakers and was dragged into the issue.

He further stated that Mindanao will not suffer due to budget issues.