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Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Nograles is new Speaker
MANILA -- The numbers that Representative Jose de Venecia Jr. repeatedly marshaled to shield President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against impeachment attempts didn't work in his favor Tuesday.
At 1:05 a.m. Tuesday, the House of Representatives unanimously elected Davao City Representative Prospero Nograles as the new Speaker of the House. It was de Venecia who nominated him.
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"I ask everyone to respect the vote we have taken today," said Nograles. "There were some harsh words said today. They will all be addressed at the proper time. Not now, not today. I accept the challenge to introduce reforms in the House."
He said that after a "long, tiring and emotional" day, the controversy over the speakership was finally settled, adding, "It is time to get back to work."
The end of de Venecia's speakership came a day earlier than expected and followed eight hours of voting on the motion to declare the House Speakership vacant.
Voting
A total of 174 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion, with 35 voting against and 16 abstentions. Of the eight Cebu lawmakers, only two voted against the motion: Representatives Raul del Mar and Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City, who last year voted to give de Venecia a fifth term as Speaker.
"Mine is a conscience vote. I feel no need to explain my conscience. I vote a vigorous no," said Cuenco.
Representatives Eduardo Gullas (Cebu Province, 1st district) and Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu Province, 4th district) both said they were grateful to de Venecia, before voting "yes." "Despite a heavy heart, because of a long association with the speaker, I would like to register an affirmative vote," Gullas said.
When it was his turn to vote, Representative Pablo Garcia (Cebu Province, 2nd district) was succinct. "With sadness and regret, I vote yes," he said. "With hope in my heart, I vote yes," said his son Representative Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district), whose turn came next.
The elder Garcia later administered the new Speaker's oath of office, barely seven months after he contested de Venecia's bid to be reelected as Speaker.
Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu Province, 6th district) said that when she considered whether to express a vote of confidence in de Venecia, she "found nothing in my heart to do so, even before the 14th Congress opened."
Only 121
Only 121 votes were needed to unseat de Venecia, and before 11 p.m. Monday the outcome was clear.
Hours before his ouster, de Venecia threatened in an "emotional" privilege speech to reveal what he knew about the allegations of vote-rigging, corruption and human rights abuses against Malacañang.
During the administration coalition caucus in Malacañang from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., it was agreed that there would be voting on the speakership row, but that de Venecia would be given until 2 p.m. today to consult with his supporters on the mode of his ouster.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that President Arroyo sat on one end of the head table, while de Venecia and Nograles sat beside each other. He said the President only served as facilitator of the discussion, allowing Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to moderate later on.
Bunye said the atmosphere was "like a mini-House (of Representatives) but since the President is there, they recognized they can't speak out of turn."
"At the end, the President made the call to give the Speaker ample time," he said.
'Very messy'
Bunye said de Venecia wanted the speakership issue to be decided on via nominal or floor voting, but the others wanted the "less confrontational" voting by acclamation so as not to hurt the House of Representatives as an institution.
He said the idea behind the oral vote was to "avoid acrimonious debate on the floor." "Floor voting would be very messy," he added.
Asked how serious the rift is, Bunye said: "The rift is already there, but whatever results would be, the healing would be facilitated by resorting to a less confrontational method (of unseating de Venecia)."
Bunye said that during a closed-door session with Arroyo and de Venecia, Nograles showed the manifesto of loss of confidence in de Venecia.
He said the Lakas-CMD officials and members who have started resigning from the party to transfer to the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino are "staying within the coalition, but just transferring from one party to another." (With Sunnex & AP/Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (February 5, 2008 issue)
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