Bello stopped from delivering speech; hits Aquino for running gov’t like fraternity

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives adjourned early Wednesday, preventing Akbayan Representative Walden Bello from delivering his privilege speech announcing his resignation over the President’s hand in the alleged Mamasapano cover-up.

It happened when Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong called for a roll call. The House adjourned for lack of a quorum.

In an interview with reporters, Tupay said he did not call for a roll call in order to stop Bello from making a scathing speech.

“I’m not aware that he is going to deliver a privilege speech. It is not my intention to ask for a roll call even if he is going to have a privilege speech,” Loong said.

Bello was seen mingling with a few lawmakers on the floor before adjournment. Bello then spoke to Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. after the session adjourned.

A calm Bello faced reporters and said he does not think he was bypassed by his colleagues.

He said there were a few lawmakers on the floor anyway and he would be given another chance to deliver his speech on Monday.

In the interview, Bello denounced the President for running his administration like a “fraternity” with “incompetent” subordinates like resigned police chief Alan Purisima, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, Agrarian Reform Secretary  Virgilio Delos Reyes and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Bello had called for the President to sack Purisima and Abad – known as close friends of Aquino – for the dismal crime rate and graft case against Purisima; and the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, a savings impounding mechanism parts of which were declared illegal by the Supreme Court, on Abad’s part.

“He’s a very stubborn president. The other flaw is that he’s loyal to his subordinates who are either corrupt or incompetent. Parang fraternity ang takbo ng Cabinet. Instead of competence, loyalty is what counts,” Bello said.

“Unfortunately, a Cabinet is not a fraternity. If you run it as a fraternity, you’re not going to get any work,” he added.

Bello also criticized Aquino for “washing his hands” and refusing to take responsibility as commander in chief in the botched Mamasapano operation that resulted in the deaths of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) cops, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters and five civilians in a 12-hour gunbattle.

Aquino had blamed sacked SAF commander Getulio Napenas for making a fool of him to believe the operation was going smoothly even if the SAF commandos were slaughtered without reinforcement  due to Napenas’ failure to coordinate with the military.

“Imbes na akuhin niya he is trying to foist it on the ground commander, which is shocking because he is part of the execution of the operation,” Bello said.

Bello also took offense at President’s statements advising him to run as president instead of criticizing the present administration. He also noted deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte’s doubts if Bello was indeed an Aquino ally.

“I was feeling na sinasarado na ng Presidente sa mga criticisms. I felt I could no longer stand it and support him… I realized I’ve been written off from Malacanang and the only ally is somebody who toes the line and not somebody who even as an ally raises criticisms,” Bello said.

Bello said he decided on Monday to quit as an administration ally when Aquino said in a speech that he was made a fool of by Napenas.

“That was the last straw. I felt that the President was not acting as a President,” Bello said.

Bello led Akbayan in supporting President Aquino in the 2010 elections. The Akbayan partylist had also allied with the Liberal Party in 2013 when its former representative Risa Hontiveros ran but lost as senator.

A number of Akbayan members are holding government posts, including Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ronald Llamas, PhilHealth Insurance Corp. Office Director Hontiveros, Commission on Human Rights Chair Etta Rosales and National Antipoverty Commission Chair Joel Rocamora.