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JdV ready for Lakas sanctions for endorsing impeach raps

By Gerry Baldo

11/14/2008

Former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. yesterday said he is ready to face the sanctions that have been threatened by his partymates to be imposed on him by the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats for defying its alleged policy in endorsing the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

De Vene-cia, the president emeritus of Lakas-CMD, in an inter-view with House reporters, said he is willing to face the Executive Committee and National Directorate of Lakas-CMD for defying the supposed party position not to support the impeachment complaint against their chairman, President Arroyo.

Earlier, Lakas party chiefs had threatened to expel De Venecia from the party if he as much as endorsed the impeachment complaint against his former protegee, Mrs. Arroyo.

“Let him try it,” said De Venecia referring to a statement made by Speaker Prospero Nograles that he could be expelled from the party if he endorses the impeachment bid against the party chairman, Mrs. Arroyo.

“There must be formal hearings by the Executive Committee and by the National Directorate. Let them call this meeting and I will be there,” De Venecia defiantly stated.

Nograles, De Venecia’s predecessor as party president, however said that the issue is not the party’s top priority just yet.

Nograles said they should instead focus on the pressing

concerns, such as the impeachment complaint, hinting that Lakas would deal with De Venecia after the issue was over.

“JdV is not our party priority (at the moment). We will finish the impeachment (complaint against the President first,” Nograles said.

Earlier, Nograles said that the stand of the Lakas-CMD is not to support he impeachment complaint.

“The stand of the party is not to support any impeachment filed against our chairman, that’s our policy. If any of our members choose to support it, that may be considered an act inimical to our political party.”

Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chairman of the the House committee on justice, said that his panel is now preparing for the hearing on the impeachment complaint scheduled on Nov. 18, 2008.

He said committee members are to decide on the form and substance of the impeachment complaint – the fourth since Mrs. Arroyo ascended to the presidency via an unpopular revolt against then sitting President Joseph Estrada.

The other day, the former Speaker, who is now deemed a foe by Malacanang, formalized his endorsement of the impeachment complaint before the House secretary-general.

While he was in the United States for some engagement, De Venecia appeared before the New York Philippine Consulate to sign a document endorsing the impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo.

De Venecia was a staunch supporter of Mrs. Arroyo and her government from the day she staged a coup d’etat against Estrada up until the the ZTE-National Broadband Network project, said to have been grossly overpriced and kickback-laden, erupted.

De Venecia brought out the fact that it was he who helped Mrs. Arroyo survive the many destabilization attempts against her and her government, and admitted that he had helped greatly in getting her to win the presidency in 2004 and got her quickly proclaimed president.