Speaker of the House of Representatives Jose De Venecia (JDV to all and sundry) is about to be booted out by a coalition cobbled together by the sons of GMA, congressmen Mikey and Dato Arroyo, and KAMPI, the President’s party.

There is some cruel irony in the circumstances surrounding the imminent departure of JDV from the speakership. The compleat dealmaker, dissembler and backroom operator, undone finally, not by events of his own doing, but by the truth as spoken by his son. No one can deny that this is payback for Joey De Venecia having blown the whistle on the questionable ZTE transaction and the involvement of the First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo, in the aborted deal.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago calls it “karma”. What goes around, comes around.

After having horse-dealt all his political life, JDV is now the object of shameless horse-dealing, with allies who just days before professed loyalty, now deserting him in droves for the promise of a loosened purse from Malacanang.

Mikey Arroyo gloated somewhat clumsily and meanly by saying that JDV should have seen the writing on the wall when GMA did not show up for the conciliatory Sunday golf game brokered by ex-President Fidel Ramos at the Place greens. JDV was seen as desperate and groveling, to the point of ignoring the obvious snub and hoping that GMA would still prop him up for past favors done. This was wishful thinking. The knives were out for JDV.

His finest moment may have been his final speech as Speaker, when he took the Palace to task for so blatantly plotting his downfall and publicly stood by his son, who he said simply told the truth. Whatever else is said of Joe De Venecia, who is no saint, no one can deny that he is a good father. In this, he may have found some redemption.

The Ides of March came early for JDV, as explained in an eloquent Inquirer editorial.

Conrad De Quiros expounds on the concept of karma as it relates to JDV and what it means for the country to be in the grip of GMA’s sons and minions, drunk with power.

Amado Doronila tells of the forces, people and events which led to JDV’s downfall.