Rep. Arenas bares pain for voting ‘Yes’ vs. JDV
A POST-MORTEM
Usec Villar comes to her rescue
MALASIQUI–Third District Rep. Rachel Arenas expressed her personal pain even as she belied malicious insinuations that money changed hands when congressmen voted on a House resolution declaring the position of House Speaker vacant on Monday.
“There was no money involved,” said Arenas, who voted for there solution that ousted former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
She said she has been affected by accusations that she turned her back on a province mate and her political mentor who welcomed her to the fold of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.
The other Pangasinan congressmen who voted “yes” were Arthur Celeste of the first district, Conrado Estrella III of the sixth district and the latter’s brother party list Rep Robert Estrella Jr. of ABONO.
Rep. Mark Cojuangco of the fifth district abstained while Rep. Victor Agbayani, a long-time ally of De Venecia, was the only lawmaker from the province who voted “no”.
Arenas said it pains her and the other congressmen who didn’t support De Venecia when they hear malicious speculations that they were given P1 to P4 million in exchange for an affirmative vote.
Before the showdown in the House, Arenas was often seen in the company of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whether in the latter’s State Visits abroad or in her visitation of the provinces.
“I believe that most of us voted what is good for our respective districts and constituents,” Arenas said.
Undersecretary Antonio Villar Jr., chief of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG) showed up at the press conference at the Arenas Farm in Nancapian, Malasiqui to express support for the congresswoman and to help defend her from charges that she betrayed De Venecia.
Villar opined that the only mistake perhaps that the neophyte lawmaker from Malasiqui was guilty of was she never gave any hint to De Venecia, or his wife Gina that she had intended to support the measure.
Villar, founder and chairman of the Biskeg Pangasinan group, said unlike Celeste and the Estrella brothers, Arenas did not approach De Venecia to inform him of her intention to vote with the majority.
Having done that, said Villar, “Manong Joe and Manay Gina, who treat Rachel like their daughter, could have understood”.
Villar said that perhaps being a neophyte in Congress, Arenas was rattled by the high emotions pervading in the House at that time.
Defending Arenas’ vote, he said that she voted for the measure when she realized that majority of congressmen have affirmed their support for the motion
Arenas added she voted in the affirmative because she thought more of possible consequences to her district and constituents.
“First and foremost, I am a Pangasinense more than an Arenas. I thought I have a debt of gratitude that I must have pay to my district mates to whom I would like to give projects and what they need,” Arenas said
Before casting an affirmative vote, she said she consulted her constituents and former President Ramos but maintained that in the end, it was she who decided to vote based on what she thought would be best for her district.
The young congresswoman said that while she understands and knows the pain being suffered by the De Venecias, she, too, is pained by her decision to look beyond her personal relationship with the De Venecias.
Arenas said up to the last moment, she had hoped for De Venecia and President Arroyo to reconcile but the privilege speech delivered by the former Speaker dashed her hopes for reconciliation.—LM
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