MANILA - Senator Manny Villar is mum on his alleged talks with Senator Loren Legarda but saw no obstacle for a Villar-Loren tandem in the 2010 elections.
Legarda, who declared her presidential bid last week, was one of those who voted for the ouster of the Senate President Villar. She was also among those who pushed for a Senate investigation into the alleged anomalous C-5 road project extension involving Villar.
“Neither confirm nor deny tayo dun,” Villar said at a press conference on Monday, referring to the supposed ongoing negotiations between him and Legarda.
“Basta naman si Loren ay isang karapat-dapat na vice president. Maganda yung kanyang pinaglalaban—kapaligiran (Loren deserves to be a vice president. She is fighting for the environment),” he said.
Talks of the possible tandem of the two came about when Legarda, a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC),declared her presidential bid last Friday without saying who would be her tandem next year.
Legarda’s partymate, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, is said to be the NPC’s standard-bearer next year. But Escudero has yet to make a formal announcement.
But despite Legarda’s participation in his ouster from the Senate presidency, as well as in the C5 probe against him, Villar saw no reason why he and Legarda could not team up in 2010.
“Ah wala wala naman akong nakikitang balakid dahil as I said , ang pag iimbestiga normal naman yun. Yung mga personal na bagay kasi ay sinasantabi natin yan para sa kung ano ang maganda sa bayan, (I don’t see any hurdles because, as I’ve said, these investigations are normal. Our personal issues are put aside so we can focus on what is good for the nation,” Villar said.
Besides, he also believed that his name had been cleared from the C-5 controversy since all witnesses called by the Senate testified that there were no double entry, re-alignment and overpricing in the project.
This was contrary to the allegations contained in the ethics complaint filed by Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal that Villar used his position to benefit from the project
“Palagay ko naman sa lahat ng nanonood, nakita nyo rin na wala tayong kasalanan so siguro ang hiling ko lang sa ating mga kasamahan ay maging patas at maging objective sa pagbasa ng resulta (I think everyone knows that I am innocent so I am asking my colleagues to be fair and objective in reading the results,” Villar said.
Villar, president of Nacionalista Party, said his choices for a running mate have narrowed down to two or three. He refused to identify them.
He said he would identify his running mate probably on the first week or second week of November and the formal announcement of the NP ticket will be made in the middle of the month.
Unlike his contenders, Villar claimed that he has more than the needed 12 candidates for the Senate.
“Ang problema nga namin kung paano babawasan e dahil nahihirapan kami. Kaya natatagalan ng konti dahil yun ang problema (Our problem is how to reduce the number that’s why it’s taking some time),” he pointed out.
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