BUFFETED by criticisms for voting yes to the House resolution that unseated provincemate and partymate Jose C. de Venecia from the speakership post, Rep. Rachel S. Arenas of the third district of Pangasinan finally broke her silence on the issue last week, saying it was a painful decision but that she had to make it.

She said in a interview last Friday that having been treated like a daughter by De Venecia and his wife, Gina, she could have voted the other way around.

Arenas however claimed she could not do otherwise because she followed the dictate of their party.

Mrs. de Venecia, in a nationally televised interview last week particularly cited as “deeply hurting” the young congresswoman’s “yes” vote because they treated her “like family.”

Rep. Victor E. Agbayani of the second district, a long-time ally of De Venecia, was the lone congressman from Pangasinan who voted “no” to the resolution. Rep. Mark Cojuangco of the fifth district abstained.

Reps. Arthur Celeste of the first district, Conrado Estrella III of the sixth district and the latter’s brother, partylist congressman Ribert Estrella, Jr., of Abono, voted “yes.”

Arenas admitted to newsmen that she was affected by insinuations of ungratefulness on her part for turning her back on the beleaguered Speaker, her provincemate and benefactor who welcomed her to the fold of Lakas-NUCD.

She said there were other considerations beyond her personal relationship with the De Venecias that made her vote the way she did.

Apart from the supposed party decision, another reason she said was the thought of her constituents’ welfare in the third district.
“I believe that most of us voted what is good for our district and constituents,” she declared.

Before the Congress showdown for the speakership, Arenas was in the constant company of President Arroyo on the President’s state visits and in her visits to the province.

At the same time, Arenas denied reports uttered by even Mrs. De Venecia herself about big money changing hands during the voting that ousted Speaker de Venecia and installed Davao Rep. Prospero Nograles as the new Speaker.

“There was no money involved,” Arenas curtly said.