Thursday, June 21, 2007 ‘They signed House legislative agenda, not support for JDV’
HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. should “stand in front of a mirror” and preach to himself about civility, deceit, double-dealing and betrayal, congressman-elect Pablo Garcia Sr. said yesterday.
Garcia’s statement came as de Venecia dared Garcia to show he has the numbers or shut up.
“Let Pablo Garcia put up his numbers or shut up,” de Venecia said in a statement posted on the House of Representatives website.
Garcia, who served three terms in Congress, will try to beat de Venecia’s bid to seek a record fifth term as House Speaker.
Since Garcia announced his plan to run against de Venecia, the two have engaged in a verbal tussle, the latest being de Venecia’s denial that he offered Garcia the post of deputy speaker instead.
Garcia issued the statement yesterday in reaction to what he described as “hypocritical holier-than-thou” pronouncements made by de Venecia against his rivals for the speakership of the House of Representatives.
“Joe preaches about civility as he attacks my family. He and his allies call for a ceasefire while engaging in outright black propaganda against us. If that is not hypocrisy, I don’t know what is,” Garcia said.
Garcia told de Vene-cia to practice what he preaches and not to betray his own allies, citing the case of Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles who was replaced by de Venecia as House majority floor leader without his knowledge.
Rep. Arthur Defensor (Iloilo, third district) took over the post of Nograles in a press release issued by de Venecia’s office.
Garcia said de Venecia engaged in deception when he misrepresented those who signed his legislative agenda as supporters of his speakership bid.
Among the congressmen who chided de Venecia for the “deception” was Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, who also exposed an alleged attempt by a staff of de Venecia to bribe him.
On de Venecia’s claim that he is fighting the Garcia “dynasty,” Garcia said de Venecia’s allegations against his children “were vicious and poisonous” for being untrue.
“What dynasty was he talking about? What I get from my family is moral support for we all have seen how the House had hit rock bottom in the estimation of our people under de Venecia,” he said.
Garcia’s daughter Gwendolyn is Cebu governor while youngest son Pablo John was elected as the province’s third district representative.
His other son Winston is president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System. He is facing accusations using the agency’s funds to buy the congressmen’s votes.
Meanwhile, de Venecia said yesterday the caucus he is proposing is a time-honored parliamentary tradition called to settle major disputes or differences between coalition partners.
The caucus could be held in early July to informally select the coalition choice for House Speaker.
De Venecia said Garcia, who is supported by a small group of Kampi members, should have nothing to fear because the caucus is the “moment of truth.”
Congress convenes on July 23 and the House will elect its Speaker during its inaugural session at 10 a.m. President Arroyo will address the first joint session of Congress on that same day at 5 p.m. to deliver her State of the Nation Address. (Sunnex)
