PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — MALACAÑANG is confident that Speaker Jose de Venecia remains loyal to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and that his post is secure.
The United Opposition is trying to win over De Venecia to join hands with them in their fight against the administration, particularly in the plan to impeach Mrs. Arroyo, according to chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol.
In an interview, Apostol said the alleged alliance between De Venecia and UNO is just an opposition ploy to drive a wedge between the leaders of the ruling coalition.
Apostol said he is confident De Venecia would not jump ship and ally himself with the opposition.
“He [JdV] will not even support the [new] impeachment complaint against the President. Their relationship go back a long way and it’s not that easy to break that,” Apostol said.
Apostol said that the lines of communication between Mrs. Arroyo and De Venecia remain open.
He said that contrary to some reports, the Palace would not support any moves to oust De Venecia from his post as speaker.
“Both leaders are sober [and] they know it is not right for them to part ways, for the interest of the country. De Venecia is still for GMA and GMA is still for De Venecia,” Apostol said.
But a ranking lawmaker said Lakas will be fragmented if the animosity between President Arroyo and De Venecia would not be immediately resolved.
Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson of Nueva Ecija, said Lakas party members will eventually be forced to choose between the President and De Venecia if the brewing rift would not be stopped and would continue to heighten.
Arroyo is the titular head of the dominant party Lakas, while De Venecia is the national chairman.
A Lakas stalwart, Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles said they would not allow this to happen.
But if the situation worsens, he said majority of Lakas members will definitely support Arroyo, being their titular head.
“We worked hard and campaigned for her so she could win the presidency. And its just logical that we will protect her and her administration,” said Nograles, who served as House majority leader in the 13th Congress.