De Venecia Speech: Remarks of the Speaker

8/3/2019 De Venecia Speech: Remarks of the Speaker

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REMARKSOFTHESPEAKER,NOVEMBER10,2003

THE SPEAKER: With the leave of the House and in response to theparliamentary inquiry of the distinguished Gentleman from La Union,

CongressmanOrtega,Iwishto informtheBodythatfollowingtheadjournmentof the Houseon the eve ofAll SaintsDay, until the reconveningof the Housetoday, on Monday, we held a series of caucuses, firstly, with the Nationalist

PeoplesCoalition,inmyChamberupstairs,thatiswhyIwasnotonthefloor. I

waspresentintheHousebutIwasnotonthefloor,followinganearliercaucuswhichIhadwiththemembersoftherulingLakasChristianMuslimDemocrats

Party,followedandwewerejoinedintheafternoonbytheleadersandmembersoftheoppositionparty,theLDP,weallconvergedintheSpeakersroomtosee

howwe could thresh out this problem of transmittal. Because the emotions

weresochargedandbecausethevariousgroupsweremilitantandstrongwiththeir views, andtherewasapparent conflict betweentheone-third orslightly

morethanone-thirdwhosignedtheImpeachmentcomplaintandthetwo-thirds

of the House of almost two-thirds of the House who did not sign theImpeachmentComplaint,inorderthatwecouldgathertheaccumulatedwisdom

ofthesecontendingforces,Iproposedatthattimethatweholdacaucusofallthepoliticalpartiestogether,representedinthisHouse,togetherwiththeParty-

Listgroups,tomakesureandtomakecertainthateverybodysvoiceisheard,

thatnoone isprejudiced, thatnoone is isolated, that theirpositions shallbeproperlyventilatedunderfulltransparency.So,atthattime,mydistinguished

colleagues,wemetthefollowingdayattheEdsaShangrila,wheretheleadersoftheNationalistPeoplesCoalitionwere present, the leadersof theLakas, CMD

werepresent, the leadersoftheLiberalPartywerepresent,the leadersoftheLDPwereablyrepresented,togetherwiththeRepresentativesoftheParty-Listgroups.Atthattime,sincewewereinreceiptofadecisionoftheSupremeCourt

thatcameoutwithastatusquoorder,whichstatusquoorderwaspresentedby

the Supreme Court a few hours after our adjournment on that day, andwasaddressedtotheHouseofRepresentatives,aswellastheSenate,anddirecting

theSpeakeroftheHousetorespondwithinafewdays,notlaterthanNovember2nd.Iwasfranklyworriedbecausewewereallonvacation,andIhavetogather

the leaders of the various parties so that I can be instructed by the

RepresentativesofthewholeHouseonwhatcoursesofactionweshouldtake.Afteralapseofalmostfivehoursofhighlychargeddebate,well,theprosandthe

antispresented their respectivepositions. Itwas decided firstly, thatwewilldirectAtty.Palicte,theChiefCounseloftheHouse,togototheSupremeCourt,

andunder theguidance ofCongressmanTeodoroof theNPC,Congresswoman

ClavelMartinezoftheLAKAS,CongressmanRolexSuplicoofLDP,CongressmanDefensor of LAKAS, and Congressman Bautista, who is an eminent lawyer

representing the Party List groups, they crafted the position of the House of

Representatives,togetherwithourownChiefCounsel.

When that was done, I had to rush back toManila from Pangasinan so that Icould sign the manifestation of the House ofRepresentatives questioning the

jurisdiction of the SupremeCourt. Thatwhilewe respected the action of theSupremeCourt,andoutofcourtesywehavetorespond,wedidrespond,andthe


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letters signed byyour humble servant and by the Chief Counsel of the House

weretransmitted totheSupremeCourtonthatdayofNovember2nd. So,wedischargedourduties.

Technicallyspeaking,certainadviserswereadvisingmethatwearenowalready

under a TRO or we were already under a freeze order. I checkedwith thePresidentoftheSenate,SenatePresidentDrilon,andhesaid,theholdorderisthe equivalent of a TRO against the House, and against the Senate. And he

informedmethathewouldnotappearintheSupremeCourtbecauseItoldhimI

wouldnotappearintheSupremeCourt.ButthatwewoulddispatchourChiefLegalCounseltorepresenttheHouse.

Thesecondpartofouragreementonthatday,becauseyouareentitledtoknow,

thefivepoliticalpartiesdecidedonthatdaythatweshoulddefendthepolitical

andterritorialintegrityoftheHouse;andweshouldtransmittheimpeachmentcomplaint. But upon motion of Congressman Abad, President of the Liberal

Party,secondedbyalltheLiberalsinthatmeeting,andsecondedbythePartList

MembersoftheHouseinthatmeeting,itwasdecidedthatweshouldtransmitsubjectto thefollowingconditions:Firstly,thatunliketheprevioussession,we

mustmakesurethatwemusthaveaquorumoftheHouse,whichtheleadershipinconsultationwithallofyouachievedtodaywehaveaquorumoftheHouse.

Asamatteroffact,anoverwhelmingpresenceoftheMembersoftheHouse.

Secondly, as part of the conditions of Congressman Abad, concurred in by

everyone,thateveryMemberoftheHousewhethertheysignedordidnotsigntheimpeachmentcomplaintwhetheryoubelongtotheone-thirdwhosigned

the complaint or you belong to the 2/3 that did not sign the impeachmentcomplainteveryone must have a chance in this Chamberin this hallowedhalltorisetodaytoexplainhisstandandeverybodywillbegivenachance.As

weseekthecollectivewisdomoftheHouse,weinsist,werequestthateachone

shouldriseandpresenthisviewtotheotherMembersoftheHouseandtotheFilipinopeoplewhoarewatchingthedecisionsthatwemaketoday.

Inadditiontothat,CongressmanAbadalsosuggestedthatwhileitisimplicitand

explicitintheConstitutionthatuponsecuringone-thirdofthevotesoftheHouse

orratherthesignaturesofMembersoftheHouse,thesameshallbeforwardedtotheSenatebuthesaid,correctlyso,intheRulesoftheHouse,itmustbemadeon

motionintheHouse.Inotherwords,amotiontotransmitshallbemadeintheHouse;itisnotipsofacto;itisnowautomatic;itmaybeministerialbuttheRule

of theHousesaysitmustbemadeonmotion. Andasyouknowverywell,my

dearcolleagues,thatwhenamotioninthisHouseismade,therearethosewhowillobject,therearethosewhomaywanttomakeamendments,theremaybe

thosewhowilltakecontrarypositions.Nonetheless,becauseitsoundedfairto

allconcerned,thefivepoliticalpartiesapprovedtheconsensusreachedandweareguidedbythatcontinuingconsensusstilltoday.

However, there are two intervening actions that have happened since that

historicafternoon.Firstly,PresidentArroyo,asPresidentofthePhilippinesandPresident of all the people, in her desire to resolve this conflict between the


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HouseofRepresentativesandtheSupremeCourtbecauseof theoverwhelming

publicopinioncallingforanhonorablesolutionandmanycallstomethatwhileIdidnotsigntheimpeachmentcomplaint,Iwasbeinginsulted,battered,buffeted

bycartoons,editorialsandradioandTVcommentariesagainstmypersonevenifIamnot,Ididnotsigntheimpeachmentcomplaint.And300Memberscoming

from so-called NGOs stormed the gates of my village and they were onlypreventedfromenteringmyhousebytheMakatipolice.

Bethatasitmay,thisispartoftheriskofleadershipinademocracy.Iheldmy

peace, Im inresponsetothecallofthePresident foranhonorablesolution. IrevivedtheearlieractionofCongressmanAndaya,ChairmanoftheCommittee

onAppropriationsandthedistinguishedDeputyMajorityLeaderoftheHouse,Congressman Escudero, acting in concertwith Congressman Gilbert Teodoro,

who is the acknowledged head of the NPC in the House, whoCongressman

Escudero and Congressman Andaya came to me in my office and said, Mr.Speaker, will you please use your diplomatic skills to avert this damaging

confrontationbetweentheHouseandtheSupremeCourt.

Isaid,DoIhaveyourauthority,doIhaveyourpermission?

Theysaid,Yes.

DoIhaveamIauthorizedbytheleadershipoftheNPCtomakethismove?

Yes.

So,Isaid,LetmecallChiefJusticeDavideifheisalsointerestedthatweengageinapeacemakingeffort.

So,ItelephonedChiefJusticeDavide,andhesaid,Yes,wewouldbeinterestedin

anhonorablesolutiontothisproblem.

AndIsaid,Whomwouldyoudesignate,Mr.ChiefJustice,asyourrepresentativetomeetwithMembersoftheHouse?

Hesaid,IagoingtorequestJusticeBellosillowhoisthenumbertwomanintheSupremeCourttomeetwithyou.

I checkedwith Congressman Escudero, and he said, Yes, Justice Bellosillo is

acceptablebecauseheisconsideredtobeafairandjustman.

Sothatafterthatevening,IcalledupSeniorJusticeoftheSupremeCourtJustice

Bellosillo.HewasinCebu,andhesaid,Yes,IwillcometoManilaonrequestof

theChiefJustice,andIwillmeetwithyouandyourcolleagues.

So we met at the Shangri-La Hotel in MakatiCongressman Escudero,representingtheNPC,CongressmanNonoyAndayarepresentingtheLakas,and

we said to Justice Bellosillo, Mr. Justice, we want the Supreme Court torecognize thepower, theoversightpowerofCongress. WewanttheSupreme


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Court to recognize the power of the purse of Congress. And we want the

SupremeCourttorecognizecongressionalaccesstotherecordsoftheJudiciaryDevelopmentFund.AndhetransmittedthistotheChiefJustice.Andwewere

undertheimpressionthatthesamewouldbeconsideredbytheSupremeCourt.

Wedecidedtomeetagainthefollowingday,thistimeattheManilaHotel,andthis time, Justice Bellosillo returned with two more Justices of the SupremeCourtthenumbertwooftheSupremeCourt,thenumberthreeoftheSupreme

Court and the number four of the Supreme CourtJustice Puno and Justice

Vitug.

Again, we transmittedwhatwecalled the unnegotiable positionof the Housebecause like yourselves, I, too, wanted to protect the political and territorial

integrity of theHouse. And so, it was decided that they wouldmake a final

transmittaltotheChiefJustice.Andwedecidedtomeetoncemorethefollowingday.

The following day, the four points that I raised in that meeting were put inwriting byCongressmanEscuderoand byCongressman Andaya tomake sure

that there is no misunderstanding, that there are no nuances that were notunderstood.Anditwasagreedthatifthiswasacceptable,theSupremeCourt,

throughtheChiefJustice,whichismeetingenbancwouldrespondtotheHouse

on Monday. Apparently, as there are militants in this House, as there aremilitants in every group, there are also apparently militants in the Supreme

Court.Sothehonorablesolutionthatwesoughtcouldnotbeachievedandinthemeantimetherewasameeting intheHouseandwedecided togive thepeace

processand thebackchanneling anadditionalday. And sowewaited anotherday because we were engaged in sincerity. We wanted to achieve mutualgoodwill,wewantedtoavoidtheconfrontation.Butonthesecondday,inspite

ofeffortsofCongressmanRauldelMarandCongresswomanClavelMartinez

bothofwhomarefromCebuinspiteofthecontinuingeffortsofCongressmanAndayaitwasmyunderstandingthatmilitantsintheSupremeCourtprevented

theChiefJusticefromrespondingtotheHouse.Sothatwasthesituationandwewereleftwithlastweek.

Inthemeantime,PresidentArroyo,makingapowerfulappealtoeachandeveryoneofusforadignifiedsettlementofthiscrisis,proposedacovenantamongthe

threedepartmentsofgovernment.Itwillbeatripartiteagreementandcalledforatruce.IremembersayingtotheChiefJusticeoftheSupremeCourtaswewere

havingdinnerinMalacaangattendedbyCongressmanFuentebella,Isaid,we

wantatrucealso,Mr.ChiefJustice.Butwewantatruceamongequals.Isaid,yes, we are interested in peace, we are interested in peace between the

SupremeCourtandtheHouse.ButIsaid,Itmustbeapeaceamongthebrave.

That no one is supreme over the other. That we are equal under theConstitution.ThisImadevery,veryclear.

Before the dinnerwas ended,PresidentArroyo presented uswithacovenant.

Andinthecovenant,tobesignedbythePresidentofthePhilippines,tobesignedbytheChiefJusticeandtobesignedbyyourstrulyifyousoauthorizemeall


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thefourpointsthatwesoughtwereincluded.Firstly,theyrecognizedourpower

ofthepurse,theyrecognizedourpowerofoversight,theyrecognizedourpowertoimpeachandtheyrecognizedourcontinuingaccesstotheJDFrecordssothat

evenif theimpeachmentcomplaintiswithdrawnordeferred,thesameshallbepresentedtotheCommitteeonJusticeforfurtherinvestigation.

SoallthepointsthatyouandIsought,thatallthepartiessought,theyareallenshrined and includedand integrated in the covenant. When I saw that the

Presidenthonoredourrequestandincludeditinthecovenant,whenIsawthat

the Chief Justice was nodding based on the original covenant that wastransmitted to us by the President, in our desire to accommodate the other

forcesintheHousewhosignedtheimpeachmentcomplaint,IsentcopiesofthiscovenanttoCongressmanGilbertTeodoro,CongressmanChizEscudero.Isent

copiesofthiscovenanttotheotherMembersoftheHousefordiscussion.

Inthemeantime, CongressmanJaraula, speaking inCagayandeOro, cameout

with a five-point formula on how to resolve this crisis which I felt was an

outstanding proposal. However, day after day, night after night, we werewaiting,waiting forapprovalfromtheNPC,approvalfrom the Lakas. The LP

responded and said theywill support the covenant; the Lakasresponded thattheywill support the covenant. However,wesillmust contendwiththe one-

thirdwho are insistent on the transmittalof the impeachment complaint and

thereforeIcouldnotsignthecovenantmuchasIwantedtoinordertorestorethe imageof theHouse, the imageof theSupremeCourt,and the imageof the

executive on high political ground and on high moral ground. But since thecovenant could not be advanced,which Iwas praying to God that we should

supportitinorderthatwecanstoptheSupremeCourtfromcomingoutwithitsdecision today, we were informed that ifwe have the covenant, the SupremeCourt will no longer come out with its decision to declare the impeachment

complaintoftheHouseasunconstitutional.Iwaspushingforthecovenantso

thattherewillbenoneedforanyofthesignatoriestowithdrawtheirsignaturesso that therefore everyones face will be intact and saved. No disgrace need

befallanyMemberoftheHousewhosignedthecovenantbecausethisoneisnotanagreementbetweenMemberswhosignedandMemberswhodidnotsignbut

the covenant is among three institutions, the three great branches of

governmentthe Executive, the Judiciary, and the Legislative. My friends,becauseforsomereasonoranother,wedidnotsucceedandwemustlooktoour

ownrespectiveconsciencestoaskwhywedidnotsucceed.

Today,weareinreceiptofa110-pagedecisionoftheSupremeCourtdeclaring

andthisiswhatIfeared,thisiswhatimpelledmeandimpelledthePresidenttocontinue with the covenant so that our impeachment complaint will not be

declaredunconstitutional. This iswhy I humbledmyself repeatedly toall, to

eachandeveryoneofyoutosupportthecovenantsothatthissituationthatweface this afternoon will not come to pass. Now we are in receipt of this

document, the decision of the Supreme Court by almost unanimous votedeclaringtheimpeachmentcomplaintunconstitutional.


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Itismyhopethatnowrealizingthepredicamentthatwearein,nonetheless,we

shouldhearfromeachandeveryMemberoftheHousetostandupandarticulatehisorherviewonthistranscendentalhistoricissuethathasdividedourHouse

and is beginning to divide our people. We hope to God that the militaryadventurersandtheprophetsofdoomanddisaster,thosewhoareengagedin

addingfueltothefireinordertobringdownastheysoughttobringitdown,twoandahalf months ago to bring down the government. We are in a situationwhereweeitherrespectordefythedecisionoftheSupremeCourt.Itwillcome

tothat.WereinasituationwherebyinthefaceofdefiancetheSupremeCourt

willaskthePresidentofthePhilippinestoenforceitsdecision.WhosedecisionwilltheArmedForcesorthePhilippineNationalPolicefollow?Thedecisionof

the House or of the decision of the Supreme Court. Were hoping, my dearcolleagues,thatthisstandoffwillnotcometothat.Werehopingagainsthope

thatsomeenlightenmentwilldescenduponeachandeveryoneofussothatyou

andIcanmaketheproperdecision.Iknowhowitfeels,howithurts.IknowthetragedythatyoufeelinyourheartsandinyourmindsasIfeelitmyself.Butas

thefatherofthishouse,Imustnotonlythinkintermsoftheone-thirdbutalsoin

terms of the two-thirds of the House who did not sign the impeachmentcomplaint.Itisalsomydutytothinkintermsofthecountrybecausewhatever

we decide here todaywill have an effect on the nation and an effect on ourpeople.ThisismystatementtotheHouseinreplytotheparliamentaryinquiry

ofCongressmanOrtega.

UponrecognitionbytheChair,Rep.RonaldoB.Zamoraaskedwhetherthedecision

oftheSupremeCourthadbeenofficiallytransmittedandreceivedbytheHouseof

Representatives.THESPEAKER:Thedispositiveportionofthedecisionwastransmittedtousat

noonandthis110-pagedecisionoftheSupremeCourtwasreceivedbymyoffice

twohoursago.

REP. ZAMORA: Mr. Speaker, the Speaker mentioned that this was upon theunanimousvoteornearunanimousvoteoftheSupremeCourt.MayIknowthe

vote,Mr.Speaker?

THESPEAKER:MayIasktheSecretaryGeneral.Ihavehadnotimetoreadthis

page,these110pages.IamdownwiththeflubutIamheredoingmyduty.MayIaskyou

Thereafter,theSecretaryGeneralreadthedispositiveportionofthedecision.

Thereafter,Rep. Zamora askedwhether the Speaker intends to fileamotion for

reconsiderationorwhetherhewouldnowagreewiththedecisionoftheSupreme

Court.

THESPEAKER:IshallbeguidedbythewilloftheHouse,YourHonor.

REP.ZAMORA:Whatdoesthatexactlymean,Mr.Speaker?


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THESPEAKER:Iwillask

REP.ZAMORA:Doesheintendtofileamotiontoreconsiderordoeshenot?

THESPEAKER:IshallconsultwiththeleadersoftheHouseandtheMembersoftheHouseandweshallmakeourcollectivejudgmenttogetherbytomorrow.

REP.ZAMORA:Thereisthereforeapossibility,Mr.Speaker,thatdespitewhat

theSpeakermanifestedinblackandwhite,submittedtotheSupremeCourtinblack andwhite, there is therefore the possibility that the Speaker intends to

submittothedecisionoftheSupremeCourt.Isthatcorrect,Mr.Speaker?

THESPEAKER:ThedistinguishedGentlemanfromSanJuanmayhaveapoint,

butYourHonorwillrecallthatwhenwemettoinstructourChiefLegalCounselto question the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and we did question the

jurisdictionoftheSupremeCourt,itwasonlywewereonlyrestrainedatthat

timebyastatus quo order. Today, thatsituationstillholdsthatweare stillrestrainedbyastatusquoorderbutthistime,withasledgehammer.Atthe

sametimewehavebeentoldthatourimpeachmentcomplaint,theimpeachmentcomplaintofmorethanone-thirdoftheHouseisunconstitutional.Itisnolonger

asimpleholdorderoftheSupremeCourt,YourHonor,butthistimewehavean

overwhelming judgment-decision of the Supreme Court declaring theimpeachmentcomplaintunconstitutional.

REP. ZAMORA: In short, the Speaker now agrees with the position of the

SupremeCourt,doeshe,Mr.Speaker?THESPEAKER:Well,asItoldyou,mypersonalopinionsdonotmatteratthis

time.IhavetoconsultwiththeleadersoftheHouse.Ifwearegoingtofilea

motionforreconsideration,ImustconsultwiththeleadersoftheHousebecausethisistoobigaburdenonmyshouldersalone.Itisnotfairtometomakethis

decision.Ihavetoconsultwithyou.

OnmotionofRep.Gonzales,theChairsuspendedthesession.

Uponresumptionofsession,theChairrecognizedRep.Zamora(R.)

Thereupon, Rep. Zamora inquired whether it was possible that a motion for

reconsideration was not being considered because the House had continuously

failedtorecognizethejurisdictionoftheSupremeCourt.

THE SPEAKER: As of the last two weeks, the position that Your Honor

mentionedwas our position thatwequestion the jurisdiction of the SupremeCourt.However,atthattime,wewereonlyrestrainedbyaholdorderofthe

SupremeCourt. Today,weare underadecisionof the SupremeCourtwhichstruckdowntheconstitutionalityofourimpeachmentcomplaint.Iintendtoask

eachandeverymemberoftheHousetoexplainhisvoteonewayortheothersothatwecanhearfromeachandeveryone.


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UponconsultationswiththeleadersoftheHouse,andbeforeIgofurther,Iwishtoacknowledge the presenceof somanymembersand leadersofcivil society

whoareheretoday. IthankyouforhonoringthetranquilityoftheHouse,wethankyouforrespectingtheserenityoftheHouseproceedings

REP.ZAMORA:Mr.Speaker,

THESPEAKER:Inthesamewaythatwehonoryou,wealsoaskyoutohonor

and respect theMembers of the Housewho are here today because you areindeedourhonoredguests.

Now,togobacktothequestion,weareinreceiptofadecisionoftheSupreme

Court.

REP.ANDAYA:Mr.Speaker,pointoforder,Mr.Speaker.

THESPEAKER:WhatistheGentlemanspointoforder,CongressmanAndaya?

REP.ANDAYA: Yes,Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Speaker isnot allowed toengage or be engaged in debate by theMembers of the House. I think the

question being asked by the Honorable Zamora is: Will the House of

RepresentativesrespecttheorderoftheSupremeCourt?Thatisthequestionwhichbegstobeansweredatthispointintime,Mr.Speaker.

THESPEAKER:TheChairisconstrainedtorespectthedecisionoftheSupreme

Court.REP.ZAMORA:Mr.Speaker.

REP.PLAZA:Mr.Speaker,Mr.Speaker.

REP.ZAMORA:Mr.Speaker.

REP.PLAZA:Mr.Speaker.

REP.ZAMORA:Mr.Speaker.

REP.GONZALES:MayIaskforaone-minutesuspension,Mr.Speaker.

REP.PLAZA:Mr.Speaker,parliamentaryinquiry,Mr.Speaker.

THESPEAKER:Thesessionissuspended.

Itwas5:49p.m.

De Venecia Speech: Remarks of the Speaker

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