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Wednesday, May 30, 2007
De Venecia: I'm Arroyo bet for Speaker
CEBU CITY -- Malacañang will keep its hands off the selection of the next House Speaker, Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge Remonde said Tuesday.
Even as he made that statement, Congress' website reported that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is backing Speaker Jose de Venecia, a move that Kampi president Luis Villafuerte said is "not true and part of a disinformation campaign."
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The official website of the 13th Congress has an article on a show of "solid support" for the incumbent Speaker, and it quotes de Venecia as saying that Arroyo called him up to say she is supporting him.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Remonde was mum on whether former governor and Congressman-elect Pablo "Pabling" Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district) has a good chance of becoming the next Speaker of the House.
Although Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Pablo's eldest daughter, met with Arroyo in Manila last Friday, it should not be misunderstood as lobbying for the President's support, Remonde said.
Independence
"We have a 'hands off' policy on that matter. We will leave it to all the congressmen to decide on who the next Speaker will be. Perhaps some congressmen have been saying that the President is bound to make an endorsement, but she will not support any candidate. She respects the independence of the House," he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Villafuerte, for his part, said the website is being used as "a propaganda tool to mislead people." The article, according to him, even mentioned a dead congressman as one of those who supports De Venecia, among many other "lies."
"We are going through with this and they are already demoralized so they resort to spreading misinformation," said Villafuerte, president of Kampi. He added that he is amazed by how de Venecia "never stops to exaggerate."
"We call him Joe de Balls or Joe de Bola," he added.
The website article claims that de Venecia has the support of Ciriaco Alfelor Jr. of Camarines Sur, but Villafuerte said Alfelor is a former congressman who already died. Villafuerte said he received call from the Alfelor's brother, incumbent Rep. Felix Alfelor, who expressed support for Garcia.
Needs help
Congressman-elect Pablo "Pabling" Garcia, for his part, said that if de Venecia wants to secure the endorsement of the President, "then it means he needs the President to help him."
"If he needs the President to intervene, then it only shows where he stands and feels about this controversy. He is not telling the truth, and he should not be doing this if he is not worried," said Garcia.
"We are working hard. This is not an easy fight but this is a fight after all, so we are giving it our best shot," added Garcia.
De Venecia's camp claims to have the support of most parties, including the National People's Coalition (NPC) and a faction of the Liberal Party, among others. (NPC Representative Tony Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur, however, earlier said the NPC has not met on this and he and other NPC congressmen from Mindanao will support Garcia.)
While de Venecia's group refers to Villafuerte's camp as a "splinter group" from Kampi, Villafuerte also claimed Tuesday that Garcia already has the support of 19 members of de Venecia's Lakas party.
Impeachment
Even the Liberal Party, from which de Venecia reportedly claimed support, also has 15 members supporting Garcia, added Villafuerte.
The House of Representatives currently has 230 members, 207 of whom are district representatives while 23 are party-list representatives. This means one needs the support of at least 116 to be elected Speaker.
Villafuerte said that Lakas has 92 members while Kampi has 65. Those who support Garcia are "nearing 100" although Villafuerte refused to name names.
He believes that Garcia "could very much" show leadership and protect Arroyo from an impeachment, "so much so that right now, the opposition is saying they will no longer file an impeachment if it will be Pabling who will become speaker. This is not a joke. They just want a change of leadership."
Representative Ramon "Red" Durano VI, meanwhile, said over dyLA that being a Cebuano does not mean he will automatically support a Cebuano, as he will follow whatever decision his party, the NPC, will make. He also considers "okay" the performance of de Venecia.
Gullas too?
Also Tuesday, Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado said in a dyLA interview that it would be good to have a speaker from the Visayas, although he would still consult his party mates about this.
His partymate, Bohol 3rd district Representative Adam Jala, has said after last Monday's visit to the Capitol that they have yet to talk about it although Bohol is certain to have "one voice."
Representative Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) has also reportedly sent feelers to Malacañang that he is interested in the post.
"As I have said, we will keep our hands off the issue. Malacañang will not endorse or give its blessing to any candidate. Congressman Gullas is also qualified for the position but it's all up to the House members," Remonde added. (JPM & LCR of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (May 30, 2007 issue)
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