MikeLigalig.com

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the De Venecias are back in each other's arms.

This was personally admitted by Gina de Venecia, wife of Fourth District Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., former Speaker of the House of Representatives, in a talk to newsmen here on Wednesday.

Mrs. De Venecia, who is running to fill up the position to be vacated by her husband after completing another three terms of office in Congress, said the reconciliation happened, at least officially between her and President Arroyo, a month ago.

Asked if there was also a reconciliation between her husband, Rep. De Venecia and President Arroyo, who the De Venecias believe was instrumental in the congressman’s ouster as Speaker of the House, she quipped: “You have to ask him.”

Rep. De Venecia was out of their house at that time as he was entertaining some Japanese visitors at their fish farm in Sitio Watac, Barangay Mamalingling, Dagupan City.

"That was a good thing to happen. The world is already full of troubles and it won't help to carry any more personal burdens," Mrs. De Venecia, who is running for congresswoman under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), said in Filipino.

She said it is better for a person to release all ill-feelings and pains to have a new beginning since nobody knows when God would call on him.

“Look at our common friend, Secretary Cerge Remonde. He was only 51 years old and he was taken by the Lord yesterday (Tuesday) kahit wala naman talaga siyang sakit (even if he wasn't really ill),” Mrs. De Venecia continued.

"That’s why, she said, it is better that one is at peace with herself, at peace with people and at peace with the world. I think that’s the best,” she added.

Stressing that she has let bygones be bygones as far as her relationship with the President is concerned, Mrs. Arroyo admitted that she and Mrs. Arroyo are now friends anew but kept newsmen guessing on who made the first move toward reconciliation.

The De Venecia couple enjoyed a close relationship with the President but this went sour due to the controversy sparked by the ZTE broadband deal exposed by Mrs. Venecia’s stepson, Joey III.

This led to Congressman De Venecia's subsequent ouster as speaker of the House.

Mrs. De Venecia relayed that she is wedding godmother to the President’s two sons, Mikey and Dato Arroyo. On top of that, Mrs. Arroyo’s mother, Evangelina Macaraeg-Macapagal, and Mrs. De Venecia’s father Dr. Jose Perez were classmates in the College of Medicine at University of Sto. Tomas.

Egged further by newsmen on whether they hugged each other and cried when they reconciled, Mrs. De Venecia just smiled and said they were long-time friends and stayed together during many trying times in the past.

She recalled that when her daughter KC perished in a fire that razed their house in Makati City a few years ago, the President was there to comfort her.

Aside from this, Mrs. De Venecia said that when the President was campaigning in 2004, she was her constant companion in the campaign trail.

“Kaya lang itong mga circumstances na nangyari, we cannot prevent these anymore, nangyari na,” she said, obviously referring to the incidents that made their families part ways.

“So, let’s just move on,” she continued. (PNA)

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=24664.0