Solons twit JoeCon for ‘vendetta’ vs Tancangco

Several congressmen chided businessman Jose Concepcion Jr. for allegedly dragging them in his "personal vendetta" against Commissioner Luzviminda Tancangco of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Representatives Willie Buyson Villarama of Bulacan, Prospero Pichay Jr. of Surigao del Sur and Didagen Dilangalen of Maguindanao said they resent Concepcion’s insinuation of a quid pro quo in the decision of the House committee on justice throwing out the impeachment petition against Tancangco.

They said Concepcion, longtime chairman of the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), accused committee members of voting for dismissal in exchange for favorable decisions from the Comelec for their cases and those of their political supporters.

Villarama urged the businessman, who is barangay captain of Forbes Park, Makati, the country’s richest village, to "refrain from issuing irresponsible and inflammatory statements."

Pichay said the Namfrel leader should be prepared to substantiate his accusation.

"Otherwise, he has no business dragging the House in his personal vendetta against Commissioner Tancangco," he said.

For his part, Dilangalen said "Mr. Concepcion, as far as we are concerned, does not have the moral ascendancy to condemn the House."

He said the Namfrel leader had suspiciously pushed for a deal involving counting machines from Canada, which the Comelec rejected.

Concepcion has a running word war with Tancangco on this deal and on the latter’s voter registration and information system project. Namfrel was the lead complainant in the impeach petition against the Comelec commissioner. – Jess Diaz