Imee: I’m not for sale

Four days after being a no-show at the crucial voting on the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos finally broke her silence yesterday, but only through a statement in which she denied any sellout to the administration.

"I am not for sale and I cannot be bought," Marcos stressed.

The eldest daughter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos maintained she is still seeking the ouster of Mrs. Arroyo, but her absence during last Tuesday’s plenary voting on the impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives seemed to speak louder than words, some of her opposition colleagues have said.

"I will continue the battle I started in Congress and in the streets with the interest of the Filipino in my mind and in my heart. Again, I say: my principles have not changed, nor has my desire to continue to fight," Marcos said.

The Ilocos Norte lawmaker issued the statement without any explanation of why she was absent during the plenary voting.

Marcos mentioned that the impeachment issue had affected her relations with her mother, former first lady and Leyte representative Imelda Marcos, who has openly supported Mrs. Arroyo.

Marcos revealed how she and her mother had taken opposing sides in the crisis.

Several other prominent political families were also divided over the bid to oust Mrs. Arroyo over claims that she rigged last year’s presidential election.

"It is no secret that my mother supported President Arroyo," Marcos said.

"My family’s decision weighed heavily on me. I hope everyone will understand how difficult it is for a daughter and a legislator to be in conflict with members of (her) own family," she said.

In her statement, Marcos did not respond to insinuations that her family had struck a deal with Malacañang to allow her father’s state burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, or heroes’ cemetery.

Her father died in exile in Hawaii in 1989 three years after a popular revolt that ended his 20-year rule.

Marcos arrived from Singapore last Thursday. She was among the opposition lawmakers, along with Western Samar Rep. Reynaldo Uy and Catanduanes Rep. Joseph Santiago, who signed the impeachment complaint but were absent during the crucial plenary voting on the issue.

Defending herself from accusations of a sellout, Marcos justified the absence claiming hers was just "one vote" against the numerical superiority of the administration congressmen.

Marcos insisted she had done her part and "the opposition should not blame me for the failure of this noble undertaking."

She said the impeachment complaint was doomed to fail anyway because of the numerical strength of the administration which would exhaust all means to block moves to unseat the President.

"It was clear to me that it would be very difficult to get 79 signatures, even on the first day of voting in Congress. My one vote is not enough to stop the plans of allies of Arroyo to kill the impeachment complaint," the three-term lawmaker stressed.

Marcos admitted she could not contribute anything beyond signing the impeachment complaint, citing "the tension between me and my mother."

"Whatever happens, I will remain a part of the movement that opposes the leadership of President Arroyo," Marcos said.

Her mother is still facing a number of criminal cases filed by the government in connection with the supposed embezzlement of millions of dollars from state coffers during her late husband’s rule.

"The President offers the hand of reconciliation and unity without preconditions," Mrs. Arroyo’s Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said yesterday.

"These speculations and allegations about secret deals are not true," he added.

Nonetheless, an apologetic Marcos said she is willing "to pay the price."

"To my colleagues in Congress: I am ready to accept any decision for any mistake they feel I may have committed."

Sources disclosed Marcos might lose her membership in the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) where she is the lone representative of the minority bloc.

House Minority Leader Francis Escudero refused to comment on the issue, stressing he is giving her the benefit of the doubt.

While there have been calls for a revamp, Escudero said this will be the subject of a meeting with Marcos on Monday.

The 51 votes obtained by the pro-impeachment congressmen last Tuesday could have been bolstered if Marcos, Uy, Santiago and five other opposition lawmakers identified with deposed President Joseph Estrada had attended the historic plenary debates.

Among the five opposition congressmen who skipped the plenary voting were Caloocan Reps. Luis "Baby" Asistio and Oscar Malapitan, Valenzuela City Rep. Antonio Serapio and Bulacan Rep. Pedro Pancho.

Maguindanao Rep. Baisendig Dilangalen, wife of Estrada’s erstwhile spokesman Didagen Dilangalen, opted to abstain during the voting, claiming the impeachment process would only legitimize Mrs. Arroyo’s presidency, which she challenged.

Her decision, though, forced Estrada to sack Dilangalen as his spokesman.

Estrada said he expelled Pancho from the Partido ng Masang Pilipino for voting against the impeachment out of gratitude to Mrs. Arroyo. — Delon Porcalla, Teddy Molina, AFP