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ARROYO ALLIES SAY JDV NOT PIVOTAL IN NUMBERS GAME

JdV endorses impeach raps, to tell all vs Gloria

By Gerry Baldo and Charlie V. Manalo

10/26/2008

When everything seems to be going against the latest attempt to impeach President Arroyo, the man who was instrumental in defeating previous ouster efforts, former Speaker Jose de Venecia came to the rescue, saying he is endorsing the impeachment complaint and will reveal all that he knows on the charges leveled against his erstwhile ally.

De Venecia, in a hastily called press conference at his posh Forbes Park home, said he is going to endorse the impeachment complaint filed against Mrs. Arroyo by his son and namesake Jose “Joey” de Venecia and several other individuals including University of the Philippines law professor Harry Roque, former Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico and Editha Burgos, widow of the late journalism icon Joe Burgos Jr. and mother of the missing activist Jonas Burgos.

De Venecia added he is now prepared to take the witness stand at the House of Representatives.

The Pangasinan lawmaker, who was ousted by a Malacañang-initiated coup early this year, said he was at first reluctant to endorse the complaint but had a change of heart after repeated calls from the political opposition and some religious groups.

Allies of Mrs. Arroyo at the House of Representatives said De Venecia was not a credible endorser of the impeachment complaint since he has an axe to grind against Mrs. Arroyo.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said the “numbers” at the House are not going to change with the endorsement of De Venecia. He said that he was surprised with the endorsement.

“Personally the JDV (Rep. Jose De Venecia) endorsement comes half expectedly. I was kind of hoping JDV would stay out of it. But truthfully I think that the anti and the pro impeachment “numbers” have not changed in the House despite De Venecia’s endorsement and support,” Nograles said in a text message to House reporters.

Nograles said that members of the House view the complaint as “ill-timed” and will not be good for the country.

“Well I’m prepared to testify in the witness stand called by the House. I will answer all questions. I will answer all questions no matter who gets hurt,” De Venecia told reporters.

When asked whether his endorsement of the impeachment complaint was a sign that he was already declaring war against the Arroyo administration, De Venecia said that he will always denounce any wrongdoing in government.

De Venecia said he is willing to reveal all including the anomalous $1 billion Northrail project in which he is being implicated.

“I will answer all questions no matter who gets hurt. That’s why I want to speak out. I want to speak out. They should ask all questions about Northrail and any other issues,” De Venecia was quoted saying.

Admitting he was at first reluctant to endorse and testify on the impeachment out of “delicadeza” de Venecia said his “conscience” got the better of him even as he urged members of Congress to decide based on the merits of the complaint.

The House of Representatives is set to tackle the complaint when it resumes session Nov. 10.

“Members of Congress must decide based on the merits, not on party affiliation. If we listen to our conscience then the numbers can develop rapidly,” he said.

De Venecia said he could not allow what he called willful abuse of presidential power and killing and violation of human rights to continue under the present government adding that the latest attempt to unseat the President due to culpable violations of the Constitution among others, is not only the fight of his son but the fight of all Filipinos.

“As I have said repeatedly I will always denounce wrongdoing in government. But I shall also praise her when she does something good for the country. So it’s not a question of war or peace. It is a question of serving national interest of denouncing corruption or wrongdoing in government and praising those in government who are doing something good. But you are right. We have to declare war against corruption,” he said.

The former speaker, however, said that he is not going to campaign for more endorsers to the impeachment complaint saying that he is acting on his own conscience and hoping that other lawmakers will also do the same.

“Well I would just do my duty as God gave me. Wisdom dictates me to do what must be done. And the congressmen should also do their duty. It is a question of doing one’s duty. Why should I campaign for people to do their duty. They are members of congress. They must do what is right, follow what conscience tells them. Members of the House must be guided by the lamp of reason and the lamp of conscience,” he said.

He said that he has not consulted his party about his decision. He said that the members of congress must decide on the merits of the impeachment complaint and not by party affiliation.

De Venecia admitted that the complaint could be doomed from the very start if the lawmakers ignore the truth about the complaint.

“This complaint is members of congress must decide based on the merits not based on party affiliation. If they listen to their conscience the numbers can develop rapidly if we completely ignore conscience and if we completely ignore truth the complaint is doomed from the start,” he said.

The Pangasinan lawmaker practically accused the Arroyo administration of getting back at him and his son Joey De Venecia, who had spilled the beans on First Gentleman Mike Arroyo in the national broadband deal with the Chinese firm ZTE Corporation. He is of the belief that the cases filed against him and his son were a form of Mrs. Arroyo’s getting even with them.

“They’ve filed. Their lawyer already filed one in the Ombudsman, the DoJ already recommending the filing of charges, What’s new?”

De Venecia said he made the decision to endorse the complaint after consulting several individuals including top officials of the Catholic Church.

I got calls from Gen. Fortunato Abat while I was delivering a speech in Cambodia, I got calls from evangelist Eddie Villanueva, I got a call from ArchBishop Oscar Cruz who was former president of CBCP, saying there is higher, larger interest… that’s the national interest. Higher than my own ethical interest. I have wanted to maintain my ethical interest but from this men whom I have greatest respect they told me there is a higher interest it is for this reason why I’m endorsing the impeachment complaint,” he said.

He dismissed calls made by the administration that Mrs. Arroyo should be allowed to finish her term.

“I have made a break with corruption a long time ago. The President has slightly less than three years ago but two years is still a long time. And with this global financial crisis pounding on financial markets in America, Europe and Asia, we must be led by clean and competent government,” he said.

On the question of numbers, De Venecia said that he does not have an idea on how many would support the complaint in the House now that he is endorsing the complaint.

“I cannot say. I will leave this completely to the conscience of members of Congress,” he said.

De Venecia underscored the need to focus on the impeachment complaint saying that it is more important than the Senate investigation on the ZTE deal.

“My first priority is the house because I’m a member of the House.

This (the impeachment complaint) is much going further than a committee in the Senate. This is an actual impeachment complaint filed not just a case filed by the Ombudsman. This is an impeachment complaint that must be decided upon acted upon by the whole house by the whole committee on justice, and then by the Senate. This is much, much way, way beyond the simple appearance before a committee of the Senate.,”

He said that he is not trying to threaten Malacanang with his endorsement of the impeachment complaint.

“Wala naman tayong tinatakot dito. We just want to do our duty. Kasi ang sabi ng opposition pano matutulungan yung impeachment complaint kung yung father ng complainant hindi tumutulong. ,” he said.

He said that in the fight against the Arroyo government he is and family have been the casualty.

“We are the casualty here. We suffer. I lost the speakership and I lost the presidency of the party that I co-founded. Let no one question the integrity of our crusade. I lost the speakership because I supported my son. I told my son do what you have to do as I have to. I follow my own conscience. At least I was able to sleep at night. If the members of Congress, the leadership of the House will follow their own conscience, this impeachment will prevail. If they don’t, this impeachment will be doomed.”

De Venecia said he is “ready (to face) the consequences” of his decision to support the impeachment bid having been at the receiving end of Malacañang’s vindictive politics twice, first when he was booted out as House Speaker, and second when he ousted as president the Lakas – CMD party.

De Venecia had a falling out with the Arroyos after his son, Jose III, linked first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to a $329.48-million national broadband network deal mess, which is one of the items cited in the impeachment complaint against the President.

However, several administration lawmakers including Nograles who unseated him last February, downplayed de Venecia’s endorsement of the impeachment complaint against Arroyo.

While saying that he least expect the former Speaker to endorse his son’s impeachment complaint against the President, Nograles said it would not have a bearing at all.

“Former Speaker de Venecia’s endorsement comes unexpectedly. I was kind of hoping he would stay out of it,” Nograles said through a text message.

“But truthfully I think that the anti and pro impeachment numbers have not changed in the House despite his endorsement and support. The overwhelming majority of the members in the House today really feel the impeachment is ill-timed and won’t be any good for the country,” the Speaker stressed “And add to it the fact that the elections are just around the corner.”

“That’s my sense of the general feelings at the House after consultations with party leaders of the coalition.”

An administration solon, Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano III agreed with Nograles’ assessment.

“It’s immaterial and has no bearing. Wala ng silbi, hindi na siya Speaker. Sana nung s[eaker siya. His time has passed. His motive is in question because it’s quite obvious that he just wants to get back at this administration after he was democratically unseated,” Albano said through a text message.

Another administration solon, Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra said that even with de venecia’s endorsement, impeachment proponents could not still muster the required numbers.

“Even if JDV signs the impeachment it, it will still not get enough numbers. It’s a lightweight endorsement,” said Mitra. “Granted that he still has some loyalists most of them are more loyal to GMA. His signature will not be the tipping point. JDV is not a credible endorser because everybody can see that he’s not doing this for the country but for his son.”

“He is merely sourgraping”

Meanwhile, Nograles assured the public that he would ensure that the latest impeachment complaint filed against the President should not disrupt the passage of vital socio-economic legislations and governance policy reforms that are crucial to the country’s survival in the face of the raging global economic firestorm.

According to Nograles, the House Committee on Justice chaired by Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor should act swiftly and judiciously on the impeachment complaint as he pointed out that “the House needs to pay more attention to our economy rather than engage in partisan politics like this impeachment.”

“Our actions on this complaint must be public and transparent, but swift and judicious. Against a background of serious global economic problems we must not allow the house of the people to be out of focus or divided at this time,” Nograles said.

At the same time, Nograles appealed that all contending parties should, at all times, observe proper parliamentary decorum and avoid resorting to name-calling, character assassination and political grandstanding at the expense of the House as an institution.

“I would like to remind our peers that we will all come and go as members of the House but the House is here to stay. We should all protect the integrity of the House of the People and under my watch, I will not allow name-calling, character assassination and political grandstanding at the expense of the entire institution,” he said.

Nograles said that he is giving Defensor’s committee the freehand to decisively and judiciously act on the impeachment complaint.

“I will respect and support whatever will be the position of the Justice Committee in relation to the impeachment complaint. The sooner that this issue can be resolved, the better for our country especially now that we are facing clear and imminent threats of a major economic turbulence,” Nograles said.

“The impeachment complaint should not disrupt us in pursuing our commitment to approve previously listed priority measures until December,” Nograles added as he noted a long line of “unfinished business” that plenary will have to tackle aside from the proposed 2009 P1.415-trillion General Appropriations Act which is scheduled for third and final approval on resumption of session.

What is important, he said, is that after the impeachment issue has been settled, the members of the House of Representatives will continue to work together on issues that transcend partisan boundaries like the Reproductive Health bill and the proposed extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

“The overwhelming majority of members in the house today really feel that impeachment is ill-timed and won’t be any good for the country today plus the fact that elections are just around the corner. That’s my “sense” of the general feelings in the house after consultation with party leaders of the coalition,” Nograles said.

Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano III also said that the endorsement of De Venecia will not have any effect on the sentiments of the members of the House on the impeachment complaint.

“It’s immaterial and has no bearing. Wala ng silbi, hindi na siya Speaker. Sana nung speaker pa siya. His time has passed. His motive is in question because it’s quite obvious that he just wants to get back at this administration after he was democratically unseated,” Albano said.

Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra, for his part, downplayed the endorsement as “lightweight.”

“Even if JDV signs the impeachment it, it will still not get enough numbers. It’s a lightweight endorsement.”

He said that De Venecia has no more followers in the House.

“Granted that he still has some loyalists most of them are more loyal to GMA. His signature will not be the tipping point. JDV is not a credible endorser because everybody can see that he’s not doing this for the country but for his son. He is also sour-graping,” Mitra said.