During interview, CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said he does not know the history of the money although it could be one of the “cash gifts” given by Malacañang to congressmen who would endorse, and then dismiss, a weak impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

“I will confer with the CBCP Permanent Council to discuss the issue though I can almost see what the council’s decision will be: We will not take the money,” Lagdameo said.

He added that he will refuse the money even if de Venecia insists on giving it.

De Venecia earlier told congressmen that his refusal to endorse the complaint cost him the Speakership and the presidency of Lakas-CMD, the party he co-founded with former president Fidel Ramos.

During the hearing on the new impeachment complaint against Arroyo, de Venecia confirmed that he received a P500,000 bribe from Malacañang to endorse the complaint.
He said he did not touch the money but will turn it over to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

Gabriela party list Rep. Liza Maza supported de Venecia’s claim and said bribery among top government officials should stop in order to effect change in government.
Maza cited various reports that linked Malacañang to bribery including the alleged distribution of P500,000 “cash gifts” to congressmen and governors in October 2007.

“On October 11, 2007, there was a breakfast meeting at Malacanang, including President Arroyo and around 189 congressmen. At the same time, a meeting was also called by the President for local government officials. According to reports, and as to what the public has already seen via media live footage, the officials went out of the meeting bringing paper bags,” she said.

By October 15 of the same year, governors Ed Panlilio (Pampanga) and Joselito Mendoza (Bulacan) confirmed in a press conference that they have received P500,000 after the breakfast meeting at the Palace. Panlilio stated that public funds may have been used for the alleged bribery scandal.

Courtesy of ABS-CBN News

The House of Representatives is recently considering an impeachment complaint against Arroyo that maintains she approved the granting of a $300 million national broadband contract to China’s ZTE Corp. in 2007 despite knowledge that the deal was ruined with bribery allegations.

Arroyo has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the deal, and the House, which is dominated by her allies, is widely expected to soon dismiss the complaint. ZTE has denied offering bribe or huge commissions to any Philippine official.

But in a new twist, former House of Representatives Speaker Jose de Venecia said Sunday he was willing to testify in Congress to support the impeachment complaint. De Venecia has previously led the House of Representatives in blocking two opposition impeachment bids against Arroyo in recent years until their longtime alliance frayed.

De Venecia, still a member of the House, said Sunday that Arroyo invited him to join her on a trip to China in November 2006, and that he didn’t know they would play golf and have lunch with ZTE officials at the Chinese telecommunications company’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China.

“You know it’s a main contender for the contract and here you are being invited to a golf game and having lunch with that company,” De Venecia told The Associated Press by telephone.

Asked if he thought Arroyo violated any law or committed an impropriety, De Venecia said he was not sure if her action constituted a violation of any law but added she at least committed “a major impropriety.”

It was the first time de Venecia has talked about his knowledge of alleged irregularity in the contract, which Arroyo canceled last year after bribery allegations were launched.

De Venecia fell out of favor with Arroyo after his son, a losing bidder, testified last year in Senate hearings into the bribery allegations.

Arroyo’s husband, Mike Arroyo, was also implicated in the scandal, and he, too, has denied wrongdoing.

Arroyo’s spokesman, Anthony Golez, said any allegation against the president “will not hold water” unless a court upholds it after scrutiny of evidence.