'Oust Merci or no pork' text denied

MANILA, Philippines - Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the committee on appropriations, has denied that he sent out text messages to his colleagues in the House of Representatives that they would not get their pork barrel allocations if they did not vote for the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Abaya described the information as merely “intrigue.”

“Frm Cong. Abaya-Favor kindly disseminate to all reps-LP (Liberal Party) and non-LPs. This shud b made clear to all. Those who will vote no or absent/abstain on impeachment will get 0 as in zero. At least walang sisihan (so that there would be no regrets) that there was no forewarning. Thank you,” the text message read.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales also dismissed the text message.

“I talked to Jun Abaya who was said to be the one from whom the text originated, he denies it categorically. I can only surmise that it’s a disinformation ploy to muddle the impeachment process,” he said.

Sources said Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla (Cavite) also received the same text and was “very angry.”

Davao Oriental Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang said he was told about the warning in a phone call from a “congresswoman from Region 11,” the online news Interaksyon.com said on its website.

Dayanghirang said the release of their pork barrel funds does not only depend on their vote to impeach the Ombudsman but also their support for the bill postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“She (the congresswoman from Region 11) said she got an instruction from Congressman Abaya to verify all congressmen in Region 11 on their support for the two priority bills,” the same online news report said.

“Why blackmail us? Didn’t the President say that no pork barrel would be withheld because of our stand on issues?” he was quoted as saying.

Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas said the text message only showed President Aquino was not true to his promise that Filipinos are his “boss.”

“It only shows that we are not his boss. I thought the LP, as their name suggests, was liberal?” he asked.

Some of the administration lawmakers, who admitted to receiving the text message from their colleagues, expressed anger over the notice and warned the move could backfire.

One administration lawmaker said he got the text message from Deputy Speaker and Zamboanga Rep. Isabelle Climaco.

Climaco could not be reached for comment.

Another lawmaker reportedly got a call from the “congresswoman from Region 11” regarding the coming voting.

Another administration lawmaker said he found the text message “threatening.”

“We have our own conscience as well as our own opinions on these articles of impeachment and I think many, especially those undecided, would think twice or decide against this (articles of impeachment),” he said.

The congressman also claimed the articles of impeachment that the House justice committee wants to send to the Senate for trial are “weak,” as they contained the same allegations junked by the previous Congress.

The text messages came as the House makes a crucial vote tomorrow on the articles of impeachment against Gutierrez, who is accused of betrayal of public trust for allegedly sitting on corruption and human rights cases against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and some of her officials.

President Aquino earlier rallied his partymates in the LP to impeach Gutierrez to “change the system.”

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman (Albay) called on the administration to focus its attention on the pressing problems of the nation, including the continued increase in the prices of food and fuel, as well as the need to make adequate preparations for natural and man-made disasters and the increasing political violence in the Middle East that is affecting overseas Filipino workers.

“Obviously, the administration is more preoccupied with arrogating more power for itself, in undermining our democracy, than in addressing matters that really matter to the people,” Lagman said.