JDV scores Arroyo's call for moral renewal
02/18/2009 | 08:00 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Ousted House Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. once accused President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of corruption; now he’s accusing her of having no originality.
In an interview with reporters Wednesday after a meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, De Venecia described President Arroyo's call for moral renewal as a mere "copycat" of his own call for a moral revolution.
De Venecia said President Arroyo's Administrative Order No. 5, which requires government agencies to submit action plans for moral renewal, is a "slight revision" of his moral revolution.
"Mine was moral revolution for almost one year now," he said.
Last October 2007, de Venecia challenged President Arroyo to end corruption in government by asking the chief executive to lead a "moral revolution" that would "dramatically reduce political corruption in the country."
The ousted speaker, who had a falling-out with Malacañang following his son's revelation of alleged anomalies in the ZTE national broadband network mess, said he met with Zamora to discuss the formation of "a coalition of common causes" composed of personalities from the civil society, religious groups, youth sector, and rightist, leftist, and centrist movements.
"I am forming a coalition of common causes. Not a political party," De Venecia said. "We just want a good president."
While he has yet to talk with former president Fidel Ramos regarding the new group, the lawmaker from Pangasinan admitted that he is regularly communicating with deposed President Joseph Estrada.
"FVR [Ramos’ initials] and I are friends, we are allies. I still have to sit down with him and ask him… I have been in consultation with Erap [Estrada]. As a matter of fact he talked to my wife only two days ago," De Venecia said.
On Tuesday, Estrada's son, Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, dismissed President Arroyo's call for moral renewal, saying she should have done it a long time ago.
President Arroyo recently signed Administrative Order No. 5 enjoining all government officials to adopt and implement a program promoting values formation and ethical behavior for government workers.
Malacañang said that the order is intended to promote moral renewal in the government in order to achieve "zero tolerance for corruption." Under the order, all government agencies are required to submit their action plans for moral renewal to the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission within 90 days from the order's date of effectivity. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
In an interview with reporters Wednesday after a meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, De Venecia described President Arroyo's call for moral renewal as a mere "copycat" of his own call for a moral revolution.
De Venecia said President Arroyo's Administrative Order No. 5, which requires government agencies to submit action plans for moral renewal, is a "slight revision" of his moral revolution.
"Mine was moral revolution for almost one year now," he said.
Last October 2007, de Venecia challenged President Arroyo to end corruption in government by asking the chief executive to lead a "moral revolution" that would "dramatically reduce political corruption in the country."
The ousted speaker, who had a falling-out with Malacañang following his son's revelation of alleged anomalies in the ZTE national broadband network mess, said he met with Zamora to discuss the formation of "a coalition of common causes" composed of personalities from the civil society, religious groups, youth sector, and rightist, leftist, and centrist movements.
"I am forming a coalition of common causes. Not a political party," De Venecia said. "We just want a good president."
While he has yet to talk with former president Fidel Ramos regarding the new group, the lawmaker from Pangasinan admitted that he is regularly communicating with deposed President Joseph Estrada.
"FVR [Ramos’ initials] and I are friends, we are allies. I still have to sit down with him and ask him… I have been in consultation with Erap [Estrada]. As a matter of fact he talked to my wife only two days ago," De Venecia said.
On Tuesday, Estrada's son, Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, dismissed President Arroyo's call for moral renewal, saying she should have done it a long time ago.
President Arroyo recently signed Administrative Order No. 5 enjoining all government officials to adopt and implement a program promoting values formation and ethical behavior for government workers.
Malacañang said that the order is intended to promote moral renewal in the government in order to achieve "zero tolerance for corruption." Under the order, all government agencies are required to submit their action plans for moral renewal to the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission within 90 days from the order's date of effectivity. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
