JDV marks 65th birthday: Eyeing a political comeback?

DAGUPAN CITY — Will he again run for a congressional post or not in next year’s polls?

After keeping silent for two years after he was defeated by President Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections, former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. celebrates his 65th birthday today with his constituents in the province’s fourth district and is reportedly making an important announcement.

Until two years ago when he broke it, De Venecia had made a tradition of marking his birthday with his constituents since he became congressman and Speaker.

But today will be a special day for De Venecia as he celebrates his natal day district-wide, from Manaoag to San Jacinto, from Mangaldan to San Fabian, from Dagupan City to his home-community of Bonuan Binloc.

And according to former Dagupan City vice mayor Pepe Siapno, De Venecia is expected to make a "very important announcement."

De Venecia tasked Siapno, one of his closest allies, to gather all his political leaders, both old and new.

The grand birthday celebration is viewed by political observers as a prelude to De Venecia’s political comeback.

"Why will he be doing this district-wide if he is not planning to run?" Siapno said. Although he admits that De Venecia has not told him anything about his political plan, Siapno said, "I’m 99 percent sure he is running for Congress."

However, De Venecia, in a phone interview from his Dasmariñas Village residence in Makati City, admitted to The STAR yesterday that he will consult his political leaders today "to just help put an end to the political and economic crisis."

De Venecia earlier told local reporters that he wants to seek either a senatorial or congressional post and regain the House speakership. This caused incumbent fourth-district Rep. Benjamin Lim, also a Lakas-NUCD member, to be worried. Lim plans to seek reelection and slug it out with Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. who is on his last term.

Asked if he plans a political comeback, De Venecia, known for crafting "win-win" formulas to end political disputes, laughed, saying, "It’s still too early to play politics."

But he said he is preparing a press statement to be distributed today to end speculations about his political plan.

"As I’ve said before, we will try to unite our leaders in Pangasinan and in the fourth district," said De Venecia, national chairman of the opposition Lakas-NUCD party.

Together with his wife, Gina, De Venecia starts his hectic day in the pilgrimage town of Manaoag by hearing Mass from 7 to 8 a.m. The De Venecias are devotees of the miraculous Our Lady of Manaoag.

At 8 to 9 a.m., De Venecia will hold a consultation with his political leaders and then distribute certified seeds to various groups. He will also launch the Gra-meen Multipurpose Cooperative, named after the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, known worldwide for catering to the poorest of the poor.

From 9 to 10 a.m., he will meet with his leaders in San Jacinto town, and tender a luncheon-consultation with his Mangaldan leaders. He will then proceed to San Fabian town where another caucus is slated at 3 to 4 p.m.

His day will be capped with a birthday bash at his residence in Bonuan Binloc, where about 2,000 guests are expected, at 6 p.m.