LP slams Arroyo’s appointment of Arenas as Batanes caretaker

The Liberal Party (LP) on Friday slammed the decision by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to appoint Pangasinan Rep. Rosemary Arenas as Batanes caretaker saying it shows “petty vindictiveness and partisanship.”

LP president Senator Kiko Pangilinan said the Speaker disrespected the memory of the late Batanes Rep. Dina Razon-Abad by appointing a new caretaker “without the benefit of any consultation with Batanes constituents.”

READ: Batanes lawmaker – wife of Butch Abad – dies

“The tradition in the House has been to respect the nomination of the political party that the deceased member represented in the House. This has not been followed,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

Arenas replaced Quezon City 4th District Representative Feliciano Belmonte Jr. as caretaker of Batanes. Her designation was formalized during last Wednesday’s night session.

Pangilinan said Arroyo’s move was meant to get back at Abad for participating in the LP’s campaign to impeach her for cheating in the 2004 elections and  for holding the former president accountable for cases of graft and corruption during her years in office which led to her arrest and incarceration.

“It seems Arroyo has not forgotten the active participation of Abad and her husband, former DBM (Department of Budget and Management) Secretary Butch Abad, in the Party’s campaign to impeach her for cheating in the 2004 presidential elections and hold her accountable for numerous cases of graft and corruption during her almost 10 years in office,” Pangilinan said.  /muf