Former House Speaker Jose De Venecia said he wants to leave a legacy of a country free from corruption.

De Venecia who spoke in a recent TV interview over Sunshine Channel 14, hosted by Romy Niere, said “We must join forces to put a stop to this wide-scale corruption and bribery in the country”.

He said he wrote President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Oct. 20, 2007 asking her to lead the movement he had launched, calling for a moral revolution to cleanse Philippine society, and so she can put a stop to bribery and corruption in the government.

He said there is so much corruption in the Senate, Congress, the Courts, in Malacañang, the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police, and in the local government, the media, and even the Church, the leaders of civil society and business community, including the Commission on Elections.

That is why he said, he asked the President to use her vast powers to cleanse Philippine society and cleanse the government of corruption because she still has two and a half years. De Venecia said he waited but she has not responded, adding that they are captive of corrupt elements which she can no longer remove.

OUSTED FOR THE TRUTH

De Venecia said the President removed him as Speaker of the House because his son, Joey, told the truth before the Senate and exposed the corruption involving the NBN-ZTE scandal and bribery involving from $130-200 million.

He said he knew they would get back at him and move for his removal as Speaker of the House.

De Venecia said many stabbed him in the back and claimed those who did were given money by the President, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and their two sons, including several cabinet members under their thumb.

“It’s a shame,” he added.

He said there are many good congressmen but there are also rotten ones.

De Venecia recalled how he has helped many towns in Negros Occidental become cities and that he has worked a lot with now Gov. Joseph Marañon and Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson.

He said he has also worked with Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella and helped him become chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Communications because he requested for it.

‘GOD FORGIVE THEM’

De Venecia said he had helped Puentevella become Committee chairman in three Congresses because he is his friend. “But the last time, he turned against me, so God forgive them for they know not what they do,” he said.

Each congressman receives a pork barrel of P70 million to be used for the construction of roads, hospitals, markets, micro financing barangay farm to market roads, De Venecia said. The key is not to misuse it by securing commissions from contractors, he said.

Meanwhile, De Venecia said he has already done his part and he wants to leave a legacy. However, he is not worthy to lead this moral revolution. “I am not a saint. I am heir to many sins of omission and commission,” he said.

He said Bishop Angel Lagdameo and Cardinal Ricardo Vidal endorsed his call for moral recovery along with other Church leaders.

NOTHING TO GAIN

De Venecia said he has nothing to gain since he is not running for any public office. He, together with his son and his wife, are just telling the truth, he said.

He said that because of his son’s exposé, the contract was cancelled and Rodolfo Lozada Jr. confirmed everything that his son said.

There is even an assassination attempt against his son and himself, he said, because of that. Now, they also want to remove him as president of the Lakas-Christian Democratic Movement, De Venecia said.*CGS

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