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Monday, July 23, 2007
Jose De Venecia is Speaker of the House
MANILA (Updated 2:57 p.m.) -- Pangasinan lawmaker Jose de Venecia was elected for an unprecedented fifth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives during a chaotic election Monday.
Cebu Representative Antonio Cuenco nominated De Venecia after contentious debates on the election procedure.
Running Account of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address
Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia, de Venecia’s rival refused to be nominated in protest to the proceedings. Garcia wanted to have secret balloting in the selection of the House Speaker.
De Venecia got a majority of 159 votes.
Observers earlier noted that with the way debates are going, a new speaker may not be elected in time for President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (Sona).
Earlier, members of the Senate elected Senator Manuel Villar as Senate President.
Villar, in his speech after his election, called for unity and cooperation from his colleagues as he vowed to promote the country as a haven for foreign investments.
“Let us prove our worth, our relevance and give back what is expected of us as public servants in the truest sense of the word,” Villar said.
“As Senate President I urged you to put these words into action by drafting and passing laws that mirror our collective goal to improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” he added.
“Let us all work together and forged a stronger alliance to move the Philippine Senate towards change and enhanced productivity and lead our country towards stability and progress,” he said.
Opposition Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said it should be noted that both the majority and minority bloc support Villar.
“In behalf of our colleagues in the solid minority we would like to make the records straight that this minority in the Senate will not be obstructive but supportive for what is good for our people,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel also took the occasion to present a resolution expressing the senators' desire to have detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to attend Senate sessions and hearings.
Trillanes is detained in Fort Bonifacio for coup charges.
In the House of Representatives, opening of the 14th Congress was chaotic with lawmakers from the opposition and administration tried to stop presiding Speaker Roberto Nazareno from proceeding with the roll call.
Lawmakers questioned the legitimacy of Nazareno as secretary-general. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga.
(July 23, 2007 issue)
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