Speaker De Venecia: Intriguer out to destroy me
This is not true!
This was the quick retort from House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. in reaction to a media report that he has sought the relief of several key cabinet members including fellow-Pangasinenses as he noted how the level of political intrigues thrown his way have intensified.
While seemingly beleaguered, he dared his detractors among his former allies to follow through with their threat to oust him.
“It’s up to them. If they fight me, I can fight them all,” said De Venecia.
A report aired over the ABS-CBN evening news TV Patrol Thursday quoted De Venecia as having called for the relief of several cabinet members, including some of his fellow-Pangasinenses, in line with his proposed moral recovery program for the government.
In an interview with The PUNCH, the house speaker indignantly denied the report and stressed that he, on the contrary, is in fact fully supportive of these cabinet members whom he considered as among the best performing among the President’s men.
Among those whom De Venecia has allegedly called on to resign are Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group head Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., both from Pangasinan, as well as Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.
In the interview, De Venecia also commended Finance Secretary Gary Teves.
“They (Villar and Duque) are among the best Pangasinenses with good performance,” De Venecia said.
“Someone is just sowing intrigues so that I will be weakened, so that Bebot will be weakened, and so with Duque, Lapus, and Teves,” he said.
“You should now ask who this ‘master intriguer’ sowing disinformation is.” De Venecia added.
The television report quoted Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno as having said that De Venecia’s relationship with the President has been strained after the speaker allegedly submitted a list of cabinet officials whom he wanted sacked to advance his moral recovery program.
The speaker, however, said he thinks Sec. Puno was misquoted.
The “list” also includes Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Government Service Insurance System general manager Winston Garcia, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chairman Ephraim Genuino. #
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