LP smells politics in Cavite governor’s suspension

The Liberal Party is smelling politics in the six-month suspension of Cavite Gov. Ireneo "Ayong" Maliksi by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Deputy Speaker Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, LP secretary general, said yesterday Maliksi’s suspension is "an obvious political harassment by the administration to get even with members of the LP who have joined the call for the resignation of President Arroyo in the wake of the ‘Hello, Garci’ and jueteng payola scandals."

Maliksi is among LP members who called for Mrs. Arroyo to step down. The LP has taken a stand that the President should vacate her office in the wake of vote rigging and jueteng payola charges, and that she should be removed through the impeachment process should she refuse to resign.

Aquino said preventive suspension is usually for 90 days only.

"In the case of Gov. Ayong, it did not only come in a surprisingly short time but also for a surprisingly long period of six months. Something is wrong with the Ombudsman’s suspension order," he said.

Another LP member, Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III, said he cannot understand the "undue haste" in the suspension of Maliksi "when he has yet to answer the charges against him."

"This is an obvious case of political harassment, and Malacañang cannot claim that it has nothing to do with it," he said.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya said Maliksi, even if he belongs to what the administration now considers as a hostile political group, is entitled to due process.

The government should respect his rights, as it should respect the rights of every citizen, he said.

For her part, Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad said what happened to their LP partymate should be a warning to administration critics.

"This administration will not hesitate to throw even the kitchen sink at critics and will employ even the foulest of methods just to survive a political crisis of its own making," she said.

There were speculations that the administration caused Maliksi’s suspension so that the Remulla brothers — Jesus Crispin and Gilbert — who are both congressmen, would not sign the impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo. The complainant in Maliksi’s case is another Remulla, Jonvic, who is vice governor.

Though they claim they are inclined to sign the impeachment petition, the two Remullas who are House members have not endorsed the complaint.

Gilbert Remulla, who chairs the public information committee that is inquiring into the "Hello, Garci" tapes, has repeatedly told reporters that he would sign once the probe is over. The inquiry is almost finished, and the five probe committees have begun preparing their report.

Jesus Crispin is a former spokesman for ousted President Joseph Estrada and former chief of staff of Sen. Luisa Ejercito. — Jess Diaz