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Thursday, September 20, 2007
House Speaker warned of ouster move
MANILA -- The United Opposition (UNO) on Wednesday cautioned House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. that he could suffer the same fate of “political enemies” of the Arroyo administration and be removed from his post on the instigation of Malacañang.
Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), the political party of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said many administration congressmen, including those from Lakas, do not believe that Jose “Joey” de Venecia III acted without his father’s consent.
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The House Speaker’s son is the principal witness in the Senate hearing on the questionable National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.
De Venecia III, co-owner of the Filipino firm Amsterdam Holdings Incorporated which lost in the NBN deal bidding, revealed during Tuesday’s Senate hearing that the President’s husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, was the “mystery man” who urged him to “back off” from pursuing the project.
His revelation about the First Gentleman’s participation in the deal is expected to generate strong threats against the House Speaker’s leadership.
“There are many congressmen from Lakas, who, while they supported de Venecia Jr., are now concerned that what his son is doing has an implied consent of the House Speaker,” said Villafuerte.
He said the issue could be raised in the plenary session next week when they introduce their package of reforms at the House.
UNO chairman and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay Jr. said the House Speaker should watch his back especially now that Malacañang is consolidating the ranks of pro-Arroyo congressmen belonging to both Lakas and Kampi.
He said such a consolidation would be in preparation for a move to oust de Venecia Jr. from the speakership as a “panicky” Malacañang sought to strengthen its position following de Venecia III’s revelation.
De Venecia Jr. is a long-time ally of President Arroyo.
Binay said de Venecia Jr. should be mindful of the administration’s “vindictive” attitude towards those who opposed it especially considering the damaging revelation made by the younger de Venecia.
For Makati Representative Teodoro Locsin Jr., any attempt to topple de Venecia Jr. from his post would mean that Malacañang is purportedly silencing de Venecia III on the truth regarding the broadband deal.
He warned allies of the President that a move to oust the House Speaker “will make him morally elevated and popular man.”
“I don’t think anyone will stand up and challenge Joe (House Speaker) now, if they did that now, he would be standing up and challenge the truth. I don’t know if this is nice to say but Joe, you don’t usually associate him with moral causes but in these days, to try to challenge Joe now means you want to suppress the truth,” he said.
House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora said the minority bloc has opted to back the Speaker than be used by the administration to silence his son.
Manila Representative Amado Bagatsing, a Kampi stalwart, also said Speaker de Venecia will not have to worry -- at least for now.
Bagatsing said members of Kampi, who are among President Arroyo’s staunch supporters in the House, will not support any move that could imperil de Venecia Jr.’s post. (AH/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (September 20, 2007 issue)
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