DAVAO CITY – Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Manny Villar has admitted that he deliberately skipped the March 9 presidential forum hosted by religious group leader Apollo Quiboloy here but did not publicly say why.
Villar said he was in the city while the forum, which he had earlier committed to attend, was being held.
"I wanted to see the pastor on the same day," he said Thursday evening, without elaborating on why he decided not to show up.
Sources told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Villar was avoiding his arch-critic, Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, who was among those who showed up at the forum. But he would not confirm it on Thursday.
On Thursday evening, Villar finally faced Quiboloy in a meeting brokered by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
The religious leader, who styles himself as the "appointed son of God," said he was happy that Villar finally found time to meet him.
During the forum, Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ religious movement, said he was disappointed by the absence of Villar and another presidential candidate, Senator Benigno Aquino III. He accused them both of having no word of honor.
After meeting Villar on Thursday, Quiboloy said the presidential candidate regretted his absence from the forum and that he apologized for it.
"It's okay now. He regretted it. It's just like an error in judgment and he kind of regretted it," Quiboloy told reporters as Villar stood by his side.
Asked what he said to Quiboloy during the meeting, Villar said: "It's just between the two of us."
Quiboloy, however, clarified that the meeting with Villar did not mean that he was endorsing the NP candidate.
"Manny maybe is my mother's preference, but I am still waiting for my Father's choice," he said, citing his earlier "vision" about his mother telling him in a dream to bless Villar.
Quiboloy reiterated that he would announce his choice on April 25, his birthday.
Norie Cardona, chief of Quiboloy's media network, said the group’s followers have freedom of choice but they would surely vote for whoever he would support.
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