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GMANews.TV - Tuesday, August 10
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Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo on Monday took the floor to defend his mother, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, from critics within the House of Representatives.
In a privilege speech delivered in Filipino, the younger Arroyo scored colleagues whom he said used unparliamentary language in their respective speeches to criticize his mother.
"Hindi ako makapaniwala at nabigla ako na sa pinakaunang mga araw ng pagbukas ng Kongreso, isang kasuklam-suklam na ehemplo para sa aming mga mas nakababatang miyembro at sa mga baguhang kongresista ang ipinamalas ng iilan sa mga patuloy kong iginagalang na miyembro ng Kamara," he said.
(I find it unbelievable that on the first days of the 15th Congress, some of our respected colleagues set a shameful example for us young and neophyte lawmakers.)
Mrs. Arroyo, who was accused of corruption in at least two speeches last week, was seen listening raptly to her son’s speech.
The younger Arroyo did not identify the lawmakers he was referring to, but those who delivered scathing speeches against Mrs. Arroyo were Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello and Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño.
“Sila pa na mga kinatawan ng sektor na nangunguna sa pakikipaglaban para sa karapatang pantao ang umabuso sa kalayaang dulot ng privilege speech at gumamit ng mapagbastos na mga pananalitang yumurak sa karapatan ng isang kapwa miyembro sa respeto ng kanyang kasamahan," Mr. Arroyo said.
(It’s ironic that these representatives of sectors that are fighting for human rights were the ones who abused the freedom entitled in a privilege speech to violate the rights of one of our colleagues.)
Dato's speech came on the same day the House minority said it was mulling filing an ethics complaint against Bello. (See: House minority to file complaint vs Bello for anti-Arroyo speech)
Abuse
In his speech, Dato said the lawmakers abused the privilege speech — a right granted to the members of Congress to freely express their opinions — by issuing unpaliamentary remarks against a fellow lawmaker.
He said the concerned House members set aside good manners in their speeches that he said brought the chamber into an undesirable position.
Mr. Arroyo admitted that last week’s speeches affected him more because it was directed against a former president and, more importantly, his mother. He said the remarks were uncalled for because her mother served the country very well.
“Sa pagpalit ng administrasyon, lahat ng gawain upang mailipat ang kapangyarihan ay isinaayos niya. Walang balakid niyang ipinasa ang mga renda ng isang bansa na kahit minsan sa siyam na taon ng kanyang administrasyon ay hindi nagkaroon ng recession," he said.
(My mother ensured a smooth transition of government. She fixed everything in the nine years of her administration which, I must say, didn’t experience recession.)
He said his mother and her camp said nothing on the allegations hurled against her by President Benigno Aquino III in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) except to clarify issues such as the budget figures, calamity fund, over-importation of rice and fiscal situation of the Metro Railways Transit.
“Walang ginawang pakikipagtunggali ang ating dating pangulo sa kasalukuyang pamunuan upang gawan siya ng ganoong pambabastos ng mga kapwa miyembro sa Kongreso (The former President did nothing to deserve such abusive treatment from fellow members of Congress)," Mr. Arroyo said.
A son's lament
“Ang pananaw kong ito ay nasa puso ko rin lalo na at ang pinagsalitaan ay ang aking ina. Para sa isang anak, anuman ang katayuan sa buhay o lipunan, nakapanghihiklakbot ang pambabastos sa kanyang ina," he added.
(I was hurt by those speeches, especially because they were against my mother. No son, rich or poor, can bear to hear those words against his mother.)
He said he did not try to retaliate against their critics because his parents taught him to respect the elderly. He also thanked his colleagues, either from the majority or the minority, who condemned the supposed unparliamentary remarks.
Mr. Arroyo did not yield for any interpellation and went to his seat after the speech.
Truth hurts
Casiño stood up to say that he understands the sentiments of the Arroyos and their allies, but said the “truth ought to be told."
“And sometimes the truth hurts. Sometimes the truth maybe unacceptable to others," the party-list lawmaker added.
He said he would continue stating the truth for the chamber to deliberate on it.
Mrs. Arroyo left the plenary hall while Casiño was talking.
Pacquiao wants to move on Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao also stood up to ask his colleagues to “move on" as the discussions on the matter were delaying their legislative work. “Nais kong hilingin sa lahat na masyado na tayong naabala sa isyu na yan. Kung kailangan magsalita ng hindi magandang words dapat in proper forum. Masyado tayong naantala o nade-delay sa ating mga pag-uusapan. Sa tingin ko we have to move on," Pacquiao said.
(I want to convey to my fellow lawmakers that we’ve been so engrossed with that issue that our legislative work is suffering delays. I think we have to move on.) — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV
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