In the divisive push for Charter change, the most spoken phrase among the economic and legal experts who have contended that the campaign has become a distraction is to never trust a politician.

The lack of integrity among the officials that Filipinos choose to run the affairs of government was reflected particularly in the 2020 wrangling for the Speakership when then-incumbent Alan Peter Cayetano refused to honor a gentleman’s agreement to give way to Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco.

Both had verbally agreed to a political compromise in order to expedite the work at the House of Representatives to share the term of Speaker, where Cayetano would have the first crack at 15 months while Velasco would serve the remaining 21 months.

The deal, which came to be known as the 15-21 agreement, was clear to all House members, but when Cayetano’s term was about to expire, some wheeling and dealing happened to deny Velasco his turn, including seeing Cayetano kneel before then President Rodrigo Duterte.

It proved that word of honor was hard to find among politicians. The affair became a source of humiliation for the government, as it needed Duterte’s intervention, much like a father breaking up a childish quarrel.

Despite the manifesto issued by Cayetano’s House supporters, he was bound to the pact as it was a “gentleman’s agreement.”

Walking back on it damaged the credibility of the entire Congress, under Cayetano’s leadership. If he couldn’t be relied on to honor his word, what would be the image of the more than 200 members of the chamber?

Velasco had said then, “It is in this period of difficulty that our people yearn for honorable leaders whom they can trust, leaders who live up to their promises come hell or high water.”

Cayetano, in response, hid behind his allies who did all the talking for him, claiming that a change in leadership at that time of a supposed “crisis would be detrimental to the House and even the economy.”

Cayetano’s term was then spent on transactional politics, as he was chiefly preoccupied with soliciting the support of his peers.

Among the excuses that Cayetano gave for breaking the agreement was that Velasco, as PDP-Laban leader, had instigated three coup attempts to unseat him.

Cayetano’s argument was ludicrous because Velasco was already in line for the Speakership based on their agreement.

Velasco would have been a fool to stage a coup since it would have given Cayetano a reason not to honor the terms of their covenant.

Cayetano then mustered his allies to make a lot of noise about the need for a strong House leader — which he was not since he was incapable of honoring a simple agreement. 

According to Velasco, the “covenant was crystal clear” about a term-sharing of the Speakership.

“As true leaders and as examples for our people, both sides are obligated to avoid situations or statements that would subvert the agreement and betray the trust of our people who have stood witness to the covenant,” he said.

Duterte, worried that the conflict would delay the deliberations on the 2021 budget, decided to mediate.

The economy was already reeling from the effects of the pandemic and a delayed General Appropriations Act would have had a deleterious effect on the economy.

With the huge problems confronting the President amid the pandemic, Duterte still had to attend to an ally who was throwing a tantrum because he couldn’t keep his end of the bargain.

The feud over term-sharing gave the public the best sordid example of their officials who promise the moon to get their votes but make a lot of excuses for not delivering when it matters most.