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Monday, February 25, 2008
I erred in helping Arroyo: de Venecia
DAGUPAN CITY -- Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said he regrets supporting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her political battles.
"I made a mistake when I picked her (Arroyo) as my running mate," said de Venecia, referring to the 1998 presidential election where he ran for president against ousted President Joseph Estrada.
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"I also made a big mistake when I helped her (President Arroyo) in the 2004 presidential campaign in Pangasinan," he remarked.
De Venecia issued the statement during last Saturday's inauguration of the Asian Fisheries Academy located inside the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center compound in Bonuan Binloc.
Construction of the building was funded by de Venecia's Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pdaf). The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica) gave P15 million grant for the academy's equipment and other facilities.
The inauguration coincided with the graduation of the 39 "fishkolars" who underwent the 50-day Comprehensive Training on Oyster Culture and Other Allied Species. They are all out-of-school youths and were the first batch of students at the Asian Fisheries Academy.
At the middle of his narration of the history of the construction of the facility, de Venecia expressed his rancor against Arroyo.
He said he had expected his ouster as House Speaker after his son Jose "Joey" de Venecia III exposed anomalies in the national broadband network (NBN) deal entered into by the government with Chinese firm ZTE.
The former Speaker, however, said he would not join the opposition party despite the invitations of Estrada and other opposition leaders.
"I am the president and (one of the) founders of Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats), the only political party in the world that brings together Christians and Muslims under one group, in a common political house," he explained.
He said he would never abandon Lakas-CMD.
"If they remove me (as president), that's their lookout," he further said. The elder de Venecia said he would remain as an ordinary member of Lakas. (LCMY/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (February 25, 2008 issue)
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