The Philippine Online Chronicles

Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar on Wednesday said that he has grown tired of repeatedly answering the questions about his involvement in the double funding of the C-5 road extension project.

In a press briefing at the Senate, Villar said, “Pagod na pagod na ako sa kasasagot, nagpa-interview pa nga ako sa artista para mapanood lang ang aking sagot sa C-5. [I am very tired of answering, I even let myself be interviewed by a celebrity so that people could watch my answer on the C-5 question.]”

Aside from interviews, Villar said that his answers on the controversy have been distributed through a website and handouts, and have shown media that there are two (parallel) roads.

However, he maintained that he is still willing to answer the questions.

Villar was among the senators who were absent in the first chamber hearing on the complaint against him. The absences were thought to be his camp's move to prevent the presentation of the report's findings.

"I was late. It already adjourned."

He also belied the findings of the Senate committee of the whole report that he and his corporations profited from the road re-alignment. On the contrary, he maintained that six million Filipinos living in Las Piñas, Parañaque, and some towns of Cavite benefited from the project.

“The C-5 extension was a beautiful project. We are proud of that, although it is not true that the project was entirely mine but that of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Second, the double insertion, it just keeps repeating. There was no double insertion.”

Villar said that the signing of ethics complaint against him was no surprise since most of the signatories are members of the Liberal Party and Pwersa ng Masa whom he identified as political and presidential rivals.

“Clearly, there are biases. But I'd like to clarify that everything is a big lie. I really don't know where in their dreams they got that P6 billion, it was just P200 million,” Villar insisted.

According to him, he cannot return the demanded amount since a penalty as such is not mandated by the code of ethics.

“I know nothing of such penalty in ethics, and if they insist that the amount be returned, it is tantamount to saying that the entire C-5 project was a waste. I assume it was someone from Forbes Park who insists on that.”

Villar promised to answer everything in a privilege speech, only after the report has been filed.

“Definitely, at the right time. I would like to correct the impression that I'm evading the issue. All of you were there, I answered. They think answers should be lengthy, but in reality, it's simple, this project would benefit the country,” Villar told the reporters.