Saturday, September 22, 2007 Roperos: House in trouble By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
IT’S a pity that the House of Representatives, deftly united when it reelected Speaker Jose de Venecia almost unopposed, is now reportedly on the verge of breaking up. And the cause is a complex of personal and political realities.
For the speaker and his coterie of supporters, it is about continuing and sustaining their control of the House. On the part of de Venecia, it is a question of his son’s business future.
Manila Times’ headline story the other day said that China is determined to have the Philippines pursue the $329 million contract for the National Broadband Network (NBN) with Chinese firm ZTE Corp.
This was reportedly made clear in a meeting the other day between Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and a group of Chinese officials. It was a sign of Chinese interest in the matter.
But resolving the controversy now apparently means only one thing: withdraw the award of the NBN contract from the Chinese contractor and re-bid it. Or give it to the speaker’s son, Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, the whistle blower on the alleged overpriced contract and bribery.
The revelation that First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was involved in the deal pushed him into the eye of the brewing storm. The result is the developing political turmoil in Congress.
JDV has reportedly been asked by a bloc of congressmen to go on leave pending the possible probe that may be made on the Senate testimony of JDV III.
If the observation of Rep. Luis Villafuerte, president of Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) is true that there is evidence that JDV is now trying to get support from the House on his son’s behalf, then all hell could break loose.
There would be a crisis of leadership in the House and JDV could be unseated, with our Rep. Pabling Garcia finding himself the new speaker. If he can increase the number of members of his bloc, then Pabling’s destiny is sealed.
The most important feature in the current political problem is the strength of the Lakas-CMD-Kampi coalition. Will it hold despite the potential head-on collision threatening its unity?
Note that Mike Arroyo was instrumental in “resurrecting” Kampi before last May’s midterm elections. And it is the First Gentleman that JDV III has targeted.
