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By Maricel V. Cruz, Reporter
Opposing camps have drawn the line in the battle
for the Speakership of the House of Representatives.
An aspirant for Speaker, Rep. Prospero Nograles
of Davao City, this week met with his supporters to map out plans
for toppling the reigning leader of the House, Jose de Venecia Jr.
A source told The Manila Times that during the
meeting, each of those present was given P500,000, apparently in
exchange for their support for the bid of Nograles.
But he denied the allegation. “It’s very
ridiculous to say there was money involved,” Nograles said. “We
never even discussed money matters.”
De Venecia also this week met with his allies
headed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante and was presented a
resolution of support in his bid to stay as Speaker of the
Fourteenth Congress.
In the resolution, Abante and several other
congressmen declared that “no one can replace de Venecia.”
The de Venecia’s camp met Monday night for a
“loyalty check” among Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas)
members, with 68 out of 90 in attendance at Crown Plaza Hotel in
Pasig City. Lakas is the ruling coalition, which the Speaker had
cobbled from Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) and other major
political parties. KAMPI was founded by President Gloria Arroyo.
KAMPI, which is headed by Rep. Luis Villafuerte
of Camarines Sur, a staunch critic of de Venecia, will hold a
meeting on today on whether to maintain the status quo in the House.
Another meeting
Nograles, a known ally of de Venecia, met with
55 congressmen at Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City. Forty of them are
members of the so-called Mindanaoan bloc and 15 belong to Lakas.
Mindanaoan refers to a native of the country’s southern Mindanao
region.
Another Mindanaoan, Rep. Rodolfo Plaza of Agusan
del Sur, said the meeting had aimed “to consolidate forces” in
case President Arroyo gives the go-signal for a new leadership in
the House.
Plaza added that he believes that if ever de
Venecia will be replaced, the Mindanaoan bloc would want someone who
comes from Mindanao as Speaker “to represent the people more in
national government.”
But Plaza said he personally prefers a status
quo in the House.
Rep. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City, who
attended both meetings, said he foresees that the threat to oust de
Venecia will continue if the rift between the Arroyos and the de
Venecias persist.
The rift arose from accusations made by the
Speaker’s son, Jose “Joey” de Venecia 3rd, that the
President’s husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, was an
interested party in an allegedly corruption-tainted Internet
broadband deal with the Chinese government. Mike Arroyo denied the
allegations.
Puentevella described both meetings as mere
“fellowship” for members of the administration coalition.
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