Roco, De Villa back JDV opponents

Education Secretary Raul Roco and former Executive Secretary Renato de Villa threw their moral support yesterday to a coalition of small political groups out to derail the comeback bid of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Roco is the founder of Aksyon Demokratiko, while De Villa is the father of Reporma.

The two attended a consultation meeting and a news conference called by Batanes Rep. Florencio Abad, Liberal Party president and one of the leaders of the anti-De Venecia group.

Meanwhile, Rep. Rodolfo Albano Sr. (Lakas, Isabela) denied reports that he is interested in the speakership.

"I am not interested in becoming Speaker," he said in a statement. He added that he is supporting De Venecia.

Albano was majority leader when De Venecia headed the House during the term of former President Fidel Ramos.

Roco and De Villa told reporters that they came to the meeting as representatives of their respective political parties. Between the two groups, they have no more than 10 congressman-members.

"We are here to reiterate our commitment to support the EDSA II forces," De Villa told reporters, referring to Abad’s group.

It was De Villa’s first public appearance since his hospital confinement more than two months ago for a heart bypass operation. President Arroyo has replaced him with former Finance Secretary Alberto Romulo.

De Venecia, Roco and De Villa were opponents in the 1998 presidential elections. They all lost to then Vice President Joseph Estrada.

The former Speaker’s Lakas-NUCD-Kampi running mate, then Sen. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was elected vice president. She assumed the presidency last Jan. 20 after people power II ousted then President Estrada.

Months before the 1998 elections, De Villa had joined the Lakas nomination process. But when Lakas chose De Venecia as its presidential candidate, he broke away from the party and formed Reporma.

The consultation and news conference Abad called were held at the Linden Suites at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City. The office-residential building is owned by a group of Davao businessmen that supported De Villa’s failed presidential bid.

Last week, Aksyon, Reporma, Abad’s LP, Promdi, Nacionalista Party, and a Lakas faction led by Palawan Rep. Vicente Sandoval, who has also joined the speakership race, decided to unite and field a common candidate against De Venecia.

The former Speaker, according to his chief strategist, Rep. Joey Salceda (Lakas, Albay), has the support of least 140 congressmen.

Over the weekend, Salceda said their group was on the verge of finalizing its partnership with the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the second biggest bloc in the House after Lakas.

In yesterday’s news conference, Sandoval said their group hopes to decide within the week who they will field against De Venecia.

While Sandoval said they are still trying to reach out to the former Speaker’s camp, Sandoval clarified that "they cannot be included, they are not part of us."

The anti-De Venecia group claims the support of 114 members of the incoming House.