JDV still Speaker
Suzzane Salva-Alueta Jhunnex Napallacan
Cebu Daily News
July 24, 2007
Cebu, Philippines - Outmaneuvered and outnumbered.
When it was over, there were allegations of “treachery†and “sham†proceedings from the camp of 2nd district Representative Pablo Garcia of Cebu.
The bitterly contested Speakership race was won by Pangansinan Representative Jose De Venecia (JDV), who was elected for an unprecedented fifth term in the House of Representatives.
De Venecia mustered a total of 159 votes in an open roll-call voting.
Garcia was not nominated. Nor was there a secret balloting held as he had been proposing.
Another surprise was the role of Representative Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) who was the one who nominated de Venecia for the post.
“His (Garcia’s) defeat was devastating and resounding,†Cuenco said.
The congressman said it was “unfair†to blame him for his paisano’s defeat.
“I was not responsible for their defeat and I did not commit any act of treachery,†said Cuenco.
Cuenco said de Venecia approached him at lunchtime yesterday and asked Cuenco to nominate him on the floor as speaker, a request he granted “when it was imminent that De Venecia was going to be elected.â€
It was enough, however, to wound the 81-year-old Garcia.
“I was deeply disappointed with Cuenco. Napakasakit, Kuya Tony,†Garcia told Cebu Daily News.
NEAR DELAY
The House election followed a lengthy, chaotic debate and was done barely an hour before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arrived to deliver her State of the Nation Address.
"This is a sham procedure," Camarines Representative Luis Villafuerte, who campaigned for Garcia.
De Venecia's opponents opened the session by promptly questioning the authority of secretary general Roberto Nazareno to act as presiding officer.
The debates dragged on for more than four hours, threatening to delay — if not postpone — the President's Sona scheduled for 4 p.m.
The 81-year-old Garcia, groomed by a faction of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) headed by Villafuerte to challenge De Venecia, was never nominated.
"Why didn't they (Garcia's supporters) nominate him?" Makati Representative Teodoro Locsin asked. "At least Julius Caesar was invited inside the forum before they stabbed him. He (Garcia) was stabbed on the way to the bathroom by his own allies. It was really weird."
Villafuerte said it was Garcia who said he did not want to be nominated anymore.
"He advised me that he didn't want to participate anymore in this procedure, which is a total sham," he said. "We are not recognizing it. We are not participating."
TREACHERY
Clearly fuming over the debacle, Representative Pablo John Garcia of Cebu's 3rd district said he was still looking for words to describe Cuenco.
“If he merely voted for JDV that would have been an act of treachery but what do you call a man who committed his support and actually signed in black and white for my father and apparently ended up supporting somebody else? I am still groping for words to describe him. I hope the Cebuanos can help me describe such a man,†he said.
Asked how Cuenco's act would affect their relationship, the younger Garcia retorted: “Is there a relationship to speak of? It was cut off by this act which I still am trying to describe.â€
Twice, Cuenco had committed support to the former Cebu governor, said Pablo John. The first time was few weeks after the elder Garcia announced his bid for the Speakership and the second commitment came in a few days ago.
Pablo John said while they may have lost the battle, “the war is not yet over.â€
“There are three years ahead. Anytime there can be an election for Speaker. At any time the seat can be declared vacant.â€
A newcomer in the House of Representative, Benhur Salimbangon said he was disappointed with the election result.
“It did not go through the process, we were deliberating on the house rules so that the rest would follow and then came the nomination. Gubot kaayo paminawon usa ray gi nominate, daog gyud kay wala may kontra,†he said.
Congressman Cuenco, on the other hand, said it was Pablo Garcia himself who decided not to be nominated any more.
“Naikog ko ana, but then it’s my duty to nominate sa candidate for speaker, kay mi-give up na man sab si Pabling at that stage. Wa na man siya moapil sa nominationâ€, Cuenco said.
Cuenco said he favored secret balloting but the issue was not brought up by proponents in the Garcia camp.
Instead, Cuenco said, the camp of Garcia questioned the authority of the House secretary general to preside over Monday’s session.
“Dili man maayo ang ilang floor strategies. Nagkayagaw lang, ila hinoong gikwestion ang authority sa presiding officer. they should have concentrated their efforts on the amendment of rules to allow secret balloting. They didn’t do it. If there was a proposal for secret balloting, I would have supported that,†Cuenco said.
Cuenco said he sees nothing wrong on his action and it’s up for the Garcia family if they have hard feelings against him.
“Unsaon ta man, my conscience is clear, wa ko kasala nila, kadtong akong gisaad nga mosuporta sa secret voting, pero wa man mahinayon ang proposal,†he said.
Cuenco said he had actually decided to support De Venecia after considering all aspects.
Cuenco said he admired De Venecia for his handling of foreign policy, something Cuenco was familiar with as chairman of the committee on foreign affairs in the last Congress.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna central Visayas secretary general Arman Perez said he was happy over the failure of Garcia’s bid for the Speakership.
Perez, however, said that was expected because De Venecia’s clout remained until now.
“Kay kon midaug pa, mosamot og gara ug hambog ang mga Garcia sa Cebu,†Perez said.
Meanwhile, Representative Villafuerte predicted a turbulent 14th Congress, citing the "arrogant" manner De Venecia was elected. De Venecia's road to a fifth term was anything but a breeze.
Until a few hours before the House opened its session, he was conducting last-minute discussions with fellow congressmen apparently to ascertain his victory on the floor.
With matters still unresolved, the fates of De Venecia and Garcia inevitably went to the plenary. In the past, the choice for speaker was decided in informal discussions, with the actual election being only a formality.
Garcia's allies said Monday's proceedings were mere "preliminary skirmishes."
"We will push through with our recommended reforms. If he (De Venecia) will ignore them, there will be more problems for him," Villafuerte told the Inquirer.
Representative Locsin said the decision not to field Garcia was meant to avoid having an administration lawmaker serve as minority leader.
Under the rules, the contender with the second highest number of votes automatically becomes leader of the minority.
In his acceptance speech, De Venecia extended the hand of reconciliation to Garcia and Villafuerte.
He praised Garcia as one of the most brilliant men in the 14th Congress and Villafuerte as his "other good friend."
"There were whirlwind challenges and debate during the past few weeks as we contemplated the leadership that our House needs at this time," De Venecia said.
"That process was unprecedented in its ferocity.... Now I extend a hand of reconciliation and friendship to those who were, only momentarily, my rivals," he added.
De Venecia also said: "This will be the hardest working House of all time. I commit to exercise fair and decisive leadership over the next three years." /Nilda Gallo and Inquirer
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JDV still Speaker
Originally Posted by nab_uang
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