Pingoy’s decision was a turnaround from his decision last year to support the impeachment case.
“I vote in the affirmative and will be submitting my explanation on Monday,” he said.
It took less than 10 seconds for the congressman to air his stand in the televised session.
Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes called Pingoy’s move “very sad and unfortunate.”
Fuentes appeared disappointed with the dismissal for the second time of the impeachment case.
She said Pingoy should have continued supporting the case against the President to be consistent in his conviction.
But in a local radio interview later, Pingoy defended his decision, claiming it was the ‘consensus’ of the village and town officials he consulted for several months.
“It’s a hard decision on my part because last year I supported the impeachment case. However, I have to change my position because this is what the constituency now wants,” he said.
The congressman denied innuendos the administration bribed him but conceded
Malacañang exerted immense on pro-impeachment lawmakers.
He said that last year, the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel intended for his district was reduced by P30 million.
“Instead of P70 million, we only got P40 million from the government. That’s the result of my supporting the impeachment case then,” he said.
He expressed confidence the district will now get the proper amount with his
support to the anti-impeachment bloc.
Fuentes revealed that Pingoy had hinted he would not support this year’s impeachment case but that she and the other provincial officials prayed that the congressman would be consistent.
“Now that he changed his position, there’s nothing we can do,” the governor
lamented.
Meanwhile, South Cotabato First District Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio
stuck to her pro-impeachment stand to give the President a chance to answer
the charges.
She expressed frustration that the overwhelming majority used their number
to kill the second impeachment case. (MindaNews)