De Venecia bides time on impeach bid vs Arroyo
By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:57:00 02/05/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- After drawing cheers and a standing ovation for his speech slamming the woman he had protected from impeachment, Speaker Jose de Venecia said Monday night he would join the opposition in denouncing official corruption.
“Yes,” he told reporters when asked if his scathing, hour-long speech was a declaration of war on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “I will join the battle against corruption with the opposition. I will also praise the President when she’s doing right.”
Asked if he would move to impeach the President, De Venecia said: “She has just gone through an impeachment charge ... Let’s cross the bridge when we get there.”
“This is the time. I launched the moral revolution two months ago. Now is the culmination,” he said, when asked why he spoke out only now against anomalies in the administration.
De Venecia, however, said he was still leaving it to Ms Arroyo to lead a “moral revolution.”
“I don’t want to hurt the President. She can still take the lead and lead a moral revolution,” he told reporters.
Until he launched his unprecedented attacks against Ms Arroyo and his family in a speech on the floor Monday night, the Pangasinan lawmaker had been a staunch Arroyo ally, leading the administration coalition in the House of Representatives in crushing impeachment attempts against Ms Arroyo in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
‘Tectonic departure’
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte, president of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), called De Venecia’s speech “hypocritical.”
“It had nothing to do with the issues we raised against him. This was his valedictory address,” he said. “What we saw here was a Joe de Bola.”
Deputy Senior Minority Leader Roilo Golez conceded that De Venecia gained “points” from the public, and said that the camp of Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles -- later elected as the next speaker -- would have to deal with that later on.
“As I said, his (De Venecia’s) departure would be tectonic,” he said.
After an exuberant De Venecia delivered his speech, most of the crowd in the packed gallery stood up, applauded, and cheered him.
‘You did great’
When he approached the gallery where his bevy of supporters, including wife Gina and son Joey de Venecia, and leaders of the Black & White Movement were seated, he elicited more cheers. He was also congratulated by former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, his brother in-law.
“You did great, babes!” Gina de Venecia shouted at him as he approached.
De Venecia’s last day as Speaker took on an atmosphere of a State of the Nation Address, as spectators filled the gallery to the rafters from early afternoon to late Monday night to witness the historic change in leadership.
“This feels like the SONA. The hall is packed,” a spectator remarked.
Unlike during a SONA, people were allowed to stand at the stairways on the sides of the gallery. But like in a SONA, De Venecia’s speech was punctuated by vigorous applause.
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