Monday, December 18, 2006 Lawmaker denies Palace bribe in Con-Ass vote
SOUTH Cotabato Representative Arthur Pingoy Jr. dismissed speculations that Malacañang had dangled millions in project allocations and other monetary packages to congressmen in exchange for their support to fast track the proposed amendment of the 1987 Constitution.
Pingoy, a stalwart of the Nationalist People's Coalition but allied with the administration-led majority coalition in the House of Representatives, admitted that they were pressured by House leaders and allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to support the Charter change bid but stressed that they were not offered any remuneration for it.
"I can say personally that those speculations are unfounded and unfair," he said.
Pingoy was among the majority congressmen who voted last week in favor of Resolution 1450 that amended Section 105 of the House's internal rules to fast track the revision of the Constitution by convening Congress into a constituent assembly to discuss the proposed Charter change.
Resolution 1450 provided for the approval of amendments to or revision of the Constitution upon a three-fourths vote of all Congress' members.
It was later substituted by Resolution 197, which called for a constituent assembly without the Senate to propose amendments to or revision of the Constitution.
The move, however, met strong opposition from various sectors prompting the proponents led by the Arroyo administration's allies to defer their Charter change bid.
Pingoy, who was widely criticized by local residents for his decision, admitted that before Resolution 1450 was passed, majority congressmen held a caucus in Malacañang but only to discuss the strategies for the Charter change bid.
"I voted in favor of Resolution 1450 because I felt that the House is empowered to amend its own rules," he said.
But he claimed that he intended to vote "No" for Resolution 197, saying he is convinced that majority of the people, especially his constituents in the province, were not amenable to it.
Pingoy further claimed that his actions were part of a "political strategy," which he did not elaborate.
"At the end of the day, what is important is that I carried the sentiments of my constituents and that is to say 'No' to Resolution 197," Pingoy added.
It may be recalled that Pingoy sided with the minority bloc in the House of Representatives when the first impeachment case against President Arroyo was brought to the House plenary for decision last year. The case was eventually trashed by the majority congressmen.
Pingoy said his decision cost his district millions in missed opportunities after the Arroyo government allegedly withheld the release of funds for various projects in the area.
When the second impeachment case was filed last July, Pingoy joined the majority bloc in dismissing the case. (Allen V. Estabillo)
