House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the House of Representatives will no longer prioritize the bill seeking to give emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte as regards the traffic problem.
In an interview on ABS-CBN News, Cayetano said the measure was dropped by the lower house after the President said he no longer wants it.
“Not anymore, because the President said he doesn’t want it anymore and you cannot attack a crisis with emergency powers when you’re in the middle of it already,” Cayetano told ABS-CBN News.
Cayetano added they will now shift their focus on plans of the transportation department to improve mass transportation.
“We will push for the mass transportation, and we will not only pass legislation. If needed, [we] will use our oversight powers. There’s no reason that right of way should be a problem,” Cayetano said.
“Basically, aalalayan namin sila. We’ll have constant hearings so ’pag sinabi nila ngayon, ‘Sandali, sir, 3 months delayed kasi kinukwestiyon ng city council ’yong ganito,’ so we’ll step in and talk to the councilor, call them to the hearing,” he said.
The President had asked Congress for emergency powers but failed to get it halfway through his term.
Last September, both the President and the DOTr said emergency powers may no longer be necessary because of limited time.
The President has lashed out on Senator Grace Poe for preventing the granting of emergency powers. (TN)
