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Sunday, February 03, 2008
Palace defends Mikey’s outburst against JDV
MANILA -- Malacañang Saturday defended the latest rant of Presidential son Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo against House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
Mikey had told de Venecia last Friday to stop "hiding under (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's) skirt," referring to de Venecia's seeking an audience with Arroyo in Malacañang on Thursday.
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Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Cerge Remonde said that while Malacañang will not interfere with moves to oust de Venecia, the younger Arroyo is a member of Congress.
"Mikey is within his rights to say that because he is a member of Congress," Remonde said. "In the Palace our policy is to keep out of the affairs of the Lower House and we'll keep it that way."
De Venecia had called a press briefing after the meeting to claim that President Arroyo is supporting his speakership.
The younger Arroyo joined members of the so-called reform bloc, led by Mrs. Arroyo's Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), to oust de Venecia -- after taking a leave from de Venecia's Lakas party.
Mikey's brother, Representative Diosdado Arroyo of Camarines Sur, also joined the move to oust de Venecia.
The ouster move against the House Speaker intensified after his son Jose "Joey" de Venecia III continued to link members of the first family to the controversial US$329.5-million broadband deal.
Sunday's golf
Remonde said the Palace is now sprucing up Malacañang Park for Sunday's golf game among Lakas members, including de Venecia and his rival Representative Prospero Nograles (Lakas, Davao City).
But to the opposition, President Arroyo's continued silence on the matter is already a death knell for de Venecia's hold on the speakership.
Minority leader San Juan City Representative Ronaldo Zamora said President Arroyo is already giving de Venecia the "signal" by allowing her sons to openly support his ouster.
"So long as Arroyo does not speak or stop her two sons who are openly at the forefront to remove de Venecia, the Speaker is in dire straits," Zamora said.
He said Mrs. Arroyo's silent support for the oust-JDV movement likely stemmed from de Venecia's son Jose III's testimony over the broadband deal mess.
De Venecia's son had told the Senate of bribes offered for the deal with China firm ZTE Corp. to push through.
"If you ask me, all this can be traced to stopping de Venecia's son from testifying. That's not good, dragging the House into this mess just to gag the younger de Venecia," Zamora said.
President Arroyo has yet to break her silence on the matter, even as her sons, Mikey and Diosdado supported moves to oust de Venecia as Speaker.
Mikey is a member of de Venecia's Lakas party, but has taken a leave of absence.
Saturday betting
The question of "JDV in or out" of the House was the center of Saturday betting by several people in Malacañang.
Radio reports said bettors would place bets of P20 to see if de Venecia would be ousted, or if he would hang on.
It said the betting even attracted the attention of Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, who "reminded" the bettors that betting is not allowed in Malacañang.
The report, however, did not say how many bets are in favor of and against de Venecia.
Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte earlier said 134 congressmen -- including Presidential sons Mikey, Diosdado, and their uncle Ignacio of Negros Occidental -- have already signed a manifesto announcing their loss of confidence and withdrawal of support to de Venecia's leadership.
A simple majority or 120 signatories are needed to oust de Venecia.
Over the weekend, 20 of the 30 Liberal Party congressmen have joined calls to oust de Venecia together with the 25 first time congressmen.
De Venecia insisted that his opponents "don't have the numbers" to cause his ouster from the Speakership.
The minority bloc, on the other hand, is silent on the issue. Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez said the issue in the House has to be resolved the soonest possible time since it will result to political re-alignments.
Golez said fight for speakership is a crisis in the Lower House that has to be resolved immediately. (JMR/Sunnex)
(February 3, 2008 issue)
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