By Cathy C. Yamsuan, Blanche S. Rivera, and Martin P. Marfil (Inquirer News Service)
SPEAKER Jose de Venecia and 20 members of the House of Representatives are set to announce that they are bolting President Arroyo's ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) coalition amid mounting calls for the President to step down.
A highly placed source in Malacañang said de Venecia had already sent word to the President about his decision. At press time, Villar reportedly was in Tagaytay taking a spiritual retreat.
Villar is expected to make the announcement this afternoon at the House.
But Deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr., Batangas Rep. Oscar Gozos, Quezon City Rep. Dante Liban and Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles could no longer wait for Villar.
The four legislators announced yesterday that they were leaving LAMP.
In the Senate, sources said Senate President Manny Villar would also leave the ruling coalition, but he was still in Hong Kong and could not be contacted for comment.
He will reportedly make an important announcement upon his arrival this morning. Local government officials are also quitting the ruling coalition.
Last night, Davao City Mayor Rudy Duterte, president of the Confederation of Mindanao Governors and Mayors, announced his resignation from LAMP.
De Guzman said he decided to leave LAMP following the resignation of Trade Secretary Peter G. Favila.
More are leaving
Joining the mounting calls for the President Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation, Gonzales of Mandaluyong City said "there will be more" of his colleagues who will abandon the beleaguered Chief Executive.
He refused to name names but he said the number was "definitely in the double digit."
He said he would use his influence to encourage others to "heed the call of the people" for the President to step down.
Gonzales said he was "sure" that his colleagues, including de Venecia, were "examining their conscience" amid the worst economic crisis under the 28-month old administration and "public outrage' over allegations that the President received more than P500 million in "jueteng" money and kickbacks from tobacco taxes.
An investigative team reported that the President had also acquired P1-billion worth of prime property for his mistresses through dummy corporations.
"He has crossed the line which the people, recognizing the frailties of men, generously tolerate," Gonzales said in a press conference at the Wack Wack subdivision in Mandaluyong, where the President is said to own several mansions.
"(President Arroyo) must cut, and he must cut clean as soon as possible," Gonzales said.
"The effect of this experience will be felt early next year, and by then, any political solution will be too late," he said.
He vowed to sign the impeachment complaint against the President.
Gonzales said he would not accept any offers for him to preside over the hearings on the impeachment raps.
He said he would instead join the Nov. 4 rally to be led by former President Corazon Aquino and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
"I derive strength and inspiration in making this crucial decision from the thoughts expressed by my father," said the son of former Senate president Neptali Gonzales, "that in the end democracy will prevail and the Filipino people will be able. . . to bring back peace, prosperity and decency to our land."
With his resignation from the coalition, Gonzales gave up his positions as House deputy majority leader and senior vice chair of the committee on justice, which is handling the impeachment case.
Claro M. Recto
Recto said he would also endorse the impeachment complaint.
He said he was leaving LAMP not only because of the economic crisis but also because of his late grandfather Claro Recto, a nationalist senator.
"Don Claro would turn in his grave if I did otherwise," Recto said in a statement.
The Batangas congressman said he expected "several key leaders from Southern Luzon" to bolt LAMP and join the pro-impeachment camp.
Recto disclosed that he had been urging the Villar bloc to leave LAMP.
In a statement, Liban appealed to other members of the House to resign from LAMP.
"I now appeal to my colleagues in Congress to answer the patriotic call to put the nation's interest and the people's welfare far above partisan, parochial and selfish concerns," he said.
Liban said he decided to leave LAMP and to endorse the impeachment complaint "after much deliberation and discernment."
He said the country's poor performance was due to the President's conduct. "It is a failing born out of character. And character includes an innate sense of what is right and wrong even when the public is not looking," he said.
Honorable thing
In a letter dated Oct. 31 to Mrs. Arroyo, Nograles said his resignation was the "most honorable thing" to do because he decided to sign the impeachment complaint.
"I am sad to lose the good friendship of the President, but I'm happy that I am able to follow the dictates of my conscience," Duterte said.
He told the President that he was leaving LAMP because of his "duty and mandate to perform in accordance with my oath of office."
Duterte's letter was released only last night.
Unlike Duterte, Mayor De Guzman had openly supported the President. Last week, he was among the Mindanao governors and mayors who expressed their support for Mr. Estrada.
De Guzman said he would support groups campaigning for the President's ouster.
In Iloilo City, the chair of Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP), the precursor of LAMP, has given up his membership with the ruling party.
Former Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas sent his resignation letter, dated Oct. 31, to Mr. Estrada through Senate President Franklin Drilon, LAMMP chair in Western Visayas.
In his letter, Treñas said he left LAMP after listening to "the sentiments of our people and the sings of the times and after deep and serious discernment."
"Our country is faced with one of the gravest political crises of our times. There are allegations of corruption in the highest office of the land. Our country cannot survive unless confidence is brought back to our political leaders and the political institutions," he wrote the President.
While he admitted that the President was "not expected to voluntarily resign," Gonzales said the Constitution had provided people with ways to exercise their right to "force (President Arroyo's) resignation" through mass demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience.
"The police and military must recognize and respect this in the face of their public pronouncement to protect the President from being ousted except through constitutional process," he said.
With reports from Nereo C. Lujan, PDI Visayas Bureau; Carolyn O. Arguillas and Ayan C. Mellejor, PDI Mindanao Bureau
SPEAKER Jose de Venecia and 20 members of the House of Representatives are set to announce that they are bolting President Arroyo's ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) coalition amid mounting calls for the President to step down.
A highly placed source in Malacañang said de Venecia had already sent word to the President about his decision. At press time, Villar reportedly was in Tagaytay taking a spiritual retreat.
Villar is expected to make the announcement this afternoon at the House.
But Deputy Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr., Batangas Rep. Oscar Gozos, Quezon City Rep. Dante Liban and Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles could no longer wait for Villar.
The four legislators announced yesterday that they were leaving LAMP.
In the Senate, sources said Senate President Manny Villar would also leave the ruling coalition, but he was still in Hong Kong and could not be contacted for comment.
He will reportedly make an important announcement upon his arrival this morning. Local government officials are also quitting the ruling coalition.
Last night, Davao City Mayor Rudy Duterte, president of the Confederation of Mindanao Governors and Mayors, announced his resignation from LAMP.
De Guzman said he decided to leave LAMP following the resignation of Trade Secretary Peter G. Favila.
More are leaving
Joining the mounting calls for the President Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation, Gonzales of Mandaluyong City said "there will be more" of his colleagues who will abandon the beleaguered Chief Executive.
He refused to name names but he said the number was "definitely in the double digit."
He said he would use his influence to encourage others to "heed the call of the people" for the President to step down.
Gonzales said he was "sure" that his colleagues, including de Venecia, were "examining their conscience" amid the worst economic crisis under the 28-month old administration and "public outrage' over allegations that the President received more than P500 million in "jueteng" money and kickbacks from tobacco taxes.
An investigative team reported that the President had also acquired P1-billion worth of prime property for his mistresses through dummy corporations.
"He has crossed the line which the people, recognizing the frailties of men, generously tolerate," Gonzales said in a press conference at the Wack Wack subdivision in Mandaluyong, where the President is said to own several mansions.
"(President Arroyo) must cut, and he must cut clean as soon as possible," Gonzales said.
"The effect of this experience will be felt early next year, and by then, any political solution will be too late," he said.
He vowed to sign the impeachment complaint against the President.
Gonzales said he would not accept any offers for him to preside over the hearings on the impeachment raps.
He said he would instead join the Nov. 4 rally to be led by former President Corazon Aquino and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
"I derive strength and inspiration in making this crucial decision from the thoughts expressed by my father," said the son of former Senate president Neptali Gonzales, "that in the end democracy will prevail and the Filipino people will be able. . . to bring back peace, prosperity and decency to our land."
With his resignation from the coalition, Gonzales gave up his positions as House deputy majority leader and senior vice chair of the committee on justice, which is handling the impeachment case.
Claro M. Recto
Recto said he would also endorse the impeachment complaint.
He said he was leaving LAMP not only because of the economic crisis but also because of his late grandfather Claro Recto, a nationalist senator.
"Don Claro would turn in his grave if I did otherwise," Recto said in a statement.
The Batangas congressman said he expected "several key leaders from Southern Luzon" to bolt LAMP and join the pro-impeachment camp.
Recto disclosed that he had been urging the Villar bloc to leave LAMP.
In a statement, Liban appealed to other members of the House to resign from LAMP.
"I now appeal to my colleagues in Congress to answer the patriotic call to put the nation's interest and the people's welfare far above partisan, parochial and selfish concerns," he said.
Liban said he decided to leave LAMP and to endorse the impeachment complaint "after much deliberation and discernment."
He said the country's poor performance was due to the President's conduct. "It is a failing born out of character. And character includes an innate sense of what is right and wrong even when the public is not looking," he said.
Honorable thing
In a letter dated Oct. 31 to Mrs. Arroyo, Nograles said his resignation was the "most honorable thing" to do because he decided to sign the impeachment complaint.
"I am sad to lose the good friendship of the President, but I'm happy that I am able to follow the dictates of my conscience," Duterte said.
He told the President that he was leaving LAMP because of his "duty and mandate to perform in accordance with my oath of office."
Duterte's letter was released only last night.
Unlike Duterte, Mayor De Guzman had openly supported the President. Last week, he was among the Mindanao governors and mayors who expressed their support for Mr. Estrada.
De Guzman said he would support groups campaigning for the President's ouster.
In Iloilo City, the chair of Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP), the precursor of LAMP, has given up his membership with the ruling party.
Former Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas sent his resignation letter, dated Oct. 31, to Mr. Estrada through Senate President Franklin Drilon, LAMMP chair in Western Visayas.
In his letter, Treñas said he left LAMP after listening to "the sentiments of our people and the sings of the times and after deep and serious discernment."
"Our country is faced with one of the gravest political crises of our times. There are allegations of corruption in the highest office of the land. Our country cannot survive unless confidence is brought back to our political leaders and the political institutions," he wrote the President.
While he admitted that the President was "not expected to voluntarily resign," Gonzales said the Constitution had provided people with ways to exercise their right to "force (President Arroyo's) resignation" through mass demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience.
"The police and military must recognize and respect this in the face of their public pronouncement to protect the President from being ousted except through constitutional process," he said.
With reports from Nereo C. Lujan, PDI Visayas Bureau; Carolyn O. Arguillas and Ayan C. Mellejor, PDI Mindanao Bureau
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