NOYNOY DARES VILLAR TO ANSWER ALLEGATIONS / A CHIZ-PING TANDEM?
MANILA, NOVEMBER 6, 2009 (STAR) Sen. Benigno Aquino III dared Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. yesterday to appear before the Senate Committee of the Whole and answer the allegations against him on the C-5 road controversy.
In a telephone interview, Aquino said Villar must participate in the proceedings so the issue can be resolved.
“The investigation should not be never ending,” he said.
“We cannot sidetrack all other issues just because it’s election season. This is one issue that must be resolved.”
Aquino called on his peers to come up with a resolution on the issue as soon as possible.
“The investigation cannot go on fore-ver,” he said.
Aquino said he was ready to face Villar and debate on various issues as the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party.
He would like to see Villar squarely facing other senators, not the media regarding the C-5 road controversy, he added.
Villar, the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer, earlier said his edge over the other presidential candidates was his competence and experience and that “what you see is what you get.”
Villar said people would judge him based on his own accomplishments and not because of his parents, apparently alluding to Aquino, the only son of the late President Corazon Aquino and slain national hero, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Florencio Abad, LP campaign manager, said character and integrity were the best assets of Aquino.
That could be the reason why people were rallying behind him, not the other candidates, he added.
Aquino’s battlecry with his running mate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, is that they will not steal the people’s money, which they will instead use for programs beneficial to the public.
Villar was accused of seeking double budget for the project in the 2008 national budget and for diverting it to cover his properties.
The project supposedly upped the value of Villar’s properties and even earned from the payments of right of way in the process.
Villar had maintained he was innocent of the charges and that he would never appear before his peers because the Senate had become a “kangaroo court” out to convict him for political purposes.
Sen. Jamby Madrigal had filed the cases of plunder and conflict of interest against Villar last year after the exposé of Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile said the C-5 investigation was nearing its close, and that they would decide based on the evidence submitted against Villar if he would not appear to counter the evidence against him.
In Pangasinan, Aquino toured major towns and cities since Tuesday and until yesterday to hold multi-sectoral dialogues as part of introducing his advocacy to the people.
With him are LP senatorial aspirant like Representatives Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel of Akbayan, Ruffy Biazon of Muntinlupa and Teofisto Guingona III of Bukidnon, and former lawmaker Neric Acosta.
Speaking over Aksyon Radio Pangasinan yesterday, Aquino said he will not bow to the dictates of people or businessmen who would help him in his campaign for next year’s presidential elections.
It is important to have “freedom to make your own decisions,” especially on matters concerning the future of the country, he added.
Aquino said records would show that even during the time of his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, and in his own four political fights, it has always been important that the freedom to decide (on his own) is not lost.
“Importante sa atin kalayaan ng desisyon na di mawala yun (It’s important for us that the freedom to decide would not be taken away),” he said.
Aquino said the factor to be considered is “if it will do good for the country,” when confronted with making difficult decisions.
It’s important to make a stand and not to just keep quiet and make no comments nor think about the system, he added. – Aurea Calica, Eva Visperas
CHIZ STILL UNDECIDED ON 2010 PLAN: POSSIBLE CHIZ-PING TANDEM?
(STAR) NOVEMBER 5, 2009 - By Christina Mendez - A week after bolting the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Sen. Francis Escudero remains undecided on his political plans for next year.“There is no formal decision yet. But my appeal is to give me more time to weigh my options because it’s only been a few days since I became free from being a member of a (political) party,” Escudero said.
Escudero told the weekly Kapihan sa Senado yesterday that he would still seek the presidency “but not at the cost of being eaten up by the system.”
“The question now is if this is timely and if this is the right time, that’s what I am weighing at this time. There is nothing wrong if we can have a leader whose hands are not tied, not indebted and someone who has freedom to do what he needs to do,” he said.
Escudero said he remains unperturbed by the increasing preparation by other candidates.
He said the preparations by political rivals would not affect his plans even as the deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy is at the end of the month.
Escudero added nothing is final until the filing of candidacy on Nov. 30, 2009.
“I am thinking deeply to be able to decide 100 percent. Not 99 percent,” he said.
Escudero, who quit the NPC last Oct. 28, noted that no presidential candidate ever won without party support.
He conceded running and winning without party machinery would remain a farfetched dream.
“As of now, that remains a dream. That’s the truth. What is wrong with a dream if this (choice) is a better one, more proper and right? Everything starts with a dream,” he said.
Escudero drew parallelism between his political dream and the invention of an airplane or the mission to reach the moon, both of which were then considered impossible goals.
Escudero also clarified that he is not applying to be the running mate of any presidential candidate, virtually discounting any possible team up with Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr.
Neither were there any talks with administration standard-bearer Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., he said.
“These are all reports, all rumors because there are no direct talks,” Escudero said.
Escudero added that it would be unfair to Villar if he would confirm any talks because there was actually none.
Escudero reiterated his decision to withhold any announcement of his political plans since it has been barely a week since he resigned from NPC.
When Escudero made the surprise announcement, his reason was to break free from any political pressure and party politics.
Escudero’s move left the NPC without a standard-bearer and only Sen. Loren Legarda as the vice-presidential candidate.
Asked on the possibility of pairing up with Villar, Escudero said the former Senate president should first clear up the issues against him.
He said Villar must explain his role on the C5 road controversy.
“This (issue) should be clarified before any talks are made,” Escudero said.
Escudero also belied reports that he might choose Sen. Panfilo Lacson as a running mate.
Escudero noted the reports of a possible “Chiz-Ping” tandem came through after Lacson’s political strategist Lito Banayo joined Escudero’s camp as senior political adviser.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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