‘Urgently review wisdom of honorable resignation’

DAGUPAN CITY — Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia urged President Estrada yesterday to "urgently review" during the holidays the "wisdom of an honorable resignation."

De Venecia, who celebrated his 63rd (not 65th) birthday here yesterday, said the fastest and most feasible solution to end the country’s political and economic crisis "is a just judgment not later than early February, 2001 by the Senate impeachment court or an honorable political settlement" to fend off, at the same time, what he called potential "military-civilian adventurers."

"I feel vindicated today even if I lost the presidency. But I also feel sorry for President Estrada and the people," said De Venecia, who came out No. 2 in a field of 10 in the 1998 presidential elections.

He asked Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the prospective constitutional successor, to move quickly to "bind the nation’s wounds with reconciliation based on justice" in the event Mr. Estrada resigns.

De Venecia said the foremost national priorities are "to avoid a national upheaval in 2001, finish the presidential impeachment trial, rapidly rebuild the economy and end the Mindanao conflict."

De Venecia, national chairman of the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, addressed large crowds in the fourth congressional district, which includes this city, in a sentimental homecoming, starting with an early Mass at Manaoag’s pilgrimage church, morning dialogues in Manaoag and San Jacinto, lunch in Mangaldan, and an afternoon consultation in San Fabian, capped with a birthday bash at his seaside house in Bonoan Binloc here.

Meanwhile, De Venecia confirmed reports that he is staging a political comeback.

"Most likely I will run for Congress," De Venecia told The STAR when pressed to comment about his political plan.

When asked about incumbent fourth district Rep. Benjamin Lim, who also belongs to Lakas, JDV, as the former Speaker is fondly called, said, "That’s why we are working for a united ticket."

In a press statement, De Venecia’s office quoted former Dagupan City mayor Felipe Siapno as saying that the former Speaker’s constituents are persuading him "to once again mobilize his experience and his skills in the economic, political, foreign policy and peace-making fields, to help save the nation."

Reacting to De Venecia’s statement, Lim said that De Venecia’s district-wide birthday celebration was a "gauge" for the former Speaker to "feel the pulse of the people." But he said that he had talked to De Venecia and they discussed various political options.