Cayetano: First family not yet off the hook

House Minority Deputy Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday said his "punishment" meted out by the ethics committee doesn’t clear the Arroyos from his claim that some members of the first family maintain deposits in HypoVereinsbank in Germany. The family of the President, meanwhile, felt vindicated over the House ethics panel’s recommendation to impose a 45-day suspension on Cayetano, who failed to substantiate his allegations on the first family’s secret million dollar accounts. “I respect the verdict of the House committee on ethics. I feel vindicated as it is. The overwhelming vote of 35 to three against Representative Cayetano shows that he lied about all his allegations," said Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey" Arroyo. But Cayetano, who is running for senator in the May 14 polls, still insisted he has evidence to prove his allegations. “There was no vindication over the decision. There is only a legal stalemate but they are (Arroyos) still morally and politically accountable," Cayetano stressed. “The first family is not yet of the hook. They would undergo moral and political scrutiny and judgment from the people." The House ethics committee recommended Tuesday the suspension of Cayetano for allegedly maligning the first family by fabricating a tale that the Arroyos are maintaining dollar accounts in the German bank. The bank had issued certifications to members of the ethics committee clearing the first family. The ethics committee recommendation will have to go through the House Rules for it to be calendared in Wednesday afternoon session, which is also the last session for the 13th Congress. House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said the recommendation needs 2/3 votes or total of 154 lawmakers for the House to implement the suspension order. House Minority Leader Rep. Francis Escudero said they will scrutinize the report to make sure that it follows the Rules of the House. The minority congressmen insisted that Cayetano did not get a fair trial at the Ethics committee. Rep. Roberto Cajes, ethics committee chairman, is doubtful that the House could act on the recommendation on time. “We may not be able to approve it in the plenary to effect the suspension due to lack of material time. We are still preparing the report to be signed by the committee members," Cajes said. At Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the possible suspension of Cayetano would bring relief for the administration particularly the first family. “From where we stand, you can see that it is offcourse, I might say, cause for some relief because indeed those charges hurled by a political personality are quite serious," said Ermita. He said Malacañang would await the final decision of the House on the matter after the ethics committee recommended the 45-day suspension of Cayetano. He added that they are hoping that it would lead to the eventual closure of the issue. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV