Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Kangaroo Committee Takes Lower House To New Nadir

Rep. Agapito Butz Aquino had the memorable sound bite from today's televised proceedings of the House Ethics Committee. He called it a Kangaroo Committee (ABSCBN reports) for its railroading of Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano's case. In the end, the Majority's heavy handed game of numbers resulted in a 35 to 3 vote against the most well known critic of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, resulting in a recommendation to suspend Rep. Cayetano for forty-five days. But theirs is a Pyrrhic Victory as Alan Peter Cayetano is definitely headed for the Philippine Senate, where he will doubtless bring even greater pain and consternation to them, assuming they survive the coming elections. The day will come when Filipinos, having gained a measure of dignity and self-respect will look back on this era and find there rogue human beings like Rep. Luis Villafuerte, alleged jueteng lord from Camarines Sur and the effective Majority Whip in the Lower House for the ruling Kampi party of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. They will wonder how such throwbacks had come to rule the processes of the House of Representatives and how their ancestors could have tolerated his nasty nature and sorry carcass there. Presidential Son Rep. Mikey Arroyo told ABSCBN News that he felt vindicated by the Kangaroo Committee's action. Jueteng lords of a feather railroad together.

9 comments:

Bernardo F. Ronquillo said...

Lucky, Peter Cayetano, he is definitely on the way to the Senate. The efforts of Mike and his Congress lackeys are catapulting him freely to a popularity that he could never achieve through a PR hype. Well-deserved actually because he is the only one on sight now who is taking on FG and his little lady in Malacanang.

But what actually appalled me was the sight of those committee congress majority gleefully harassing Peter and the chair officiously and maliciously turning down his every motions. I wonder if they still have an ounce of principle left.

Deany Bocobo said...

BFR,
That too is what concerns me. APC is headed for the Senate, but what does it say about us that the Congress acts like this. It's really disgusting and reveals why we are in the rut we are in. Our leaders are stupid, corrupt and immoral.

Frederick Tomas said...

The tyranny of numbers wins out, unfortunately.

My problem with Cayetano is that he's been barking about the hidden bank accounts of Arroyo and claiming that he's had proof since last year. If that were the case, shouldn't he file a case against Arroyo, instead of mouthing off every so often?

It appears to me that he doesn't actually have the proof he needs, and is trying to move heaven and earth to get Mike to admit that he did have secret accounts, which seems rather pathetic to me.

Deany Bocobo said...

Eric,

Yes, it is obvious that if he had "smoking gun" evidence it would've long ago been published on the front pages of our newspapers and the prime time newscasts. However, it isn't only he that has been making these accusations. It began way back with that building on Nob Hill in San Francisco that the First Couple claimed was owned by brother Iggy, who had no visible means of support or income in the mid 90s to have owned a 400 million dollar structure that never showed up on the President's SAL. The entire Jose Pidal affair is really what is at bottom here, and there I think the First Couple will suffer in the end because it is also about money laundering. Though the law was passed after they did that trick, as time passes it will only look even more corrupt, even if technically legal at the time.

Once APC is a Senator, he'll be the biggest thorn in Jose Pidal's side. He or they are guaranteed that.

Frederick Tomas said...

you're right about that property; I'd forgotten about that. Then why didn't APC use that as part of his accusation? Isn't there any evidence that can be presented?

apologies, but I'm hoping that he doesn't make it to the Senate. He was part of UP's USC when I was in college, and I found him to be a bit of a whiner, without any bite. It's sad to see that time hasn't changed that.

If he does get in, I hope he'll be able to present concrete evidence to back up his claims; otherwise, he'll simply add to the yammering crowd.

Deany Bocobo said...

Looks like he can only be cheated out of the SEnate since he is already No. 4 in the SWS latest survey. He might even be the topnotcher this year, given the ganging up on he's been subjected to by the trapos. He has certainly earned his spurs. It's pure politics right now, but these are the Young Turks, and whatever we were in the Past does not necessarily foretell our Future, either way.

Frederick Tomas said...

Looks like he has the underdog tag well in hand, if that's the case. Oh, well. At least he'll probably be better than the likes of Richard Gomez, JV Ejercito, Tito Sotto and Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

Deany Bocobo said...

even better i hope than pia cayetano, a do-nothing recreation addict who doesn't know quite what she believes in...

Bernardo F. Ronquillo said...

He is definitely better than his sister Pia, who thank God will be out in three years and he will be the only cayetano left at the senate, He can work in tandem with Chiz. Let's put the two there and hope there will be two of the same caliber to replace them at the House of Rep.

Let the others run too for the administration and against them&Gloria. Mas mahabang listahan basta tiyakin lamang na walang lulusot na bata ni Glo.