MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE) Senator Manuel Villar was trying to ?buy me off,? Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile disclosed Tuesday.

?He was trying to buy me off, I suppose in exchange for a very favorable decision,? Enrile told a press conference, referring to the report that was to be decided on by the senators concerning Villar?s alleged involvement in an anomalous road project.

"You are up there in the polls, only second to Senator [Benigno] ?Noynoy? Aquino. The people will see through any attempt to use money to win the presidency. Not everyone can be bought. Bribery will be your downfall," Enrile told Villar, standard bearer of the Nacionalista Party in the national elections in May, in a separate statement he issued before the press conference.

"I want to tell Senator Villar, being an aspirant to the highest position in the land, I know you have helped a lot of people because you came from a poor family," Enrile said.

"Now that you are very rich, you are in a better position to help more of the needy among people. But to use your money to bribe people just because you want to kill the investigation instead of facing the charges against you, just like President [Joseph] Estrada did, is the worst disservice you can do to this nation," he said.

Enrile cautioned Villar against using his billions "to offer favors to people including his colleagues to avoid facing the charges against him."

"There has been talk that with all of Senator Villar's billions, he has been giving out money and at times, promises of future favor such as government positions if and when he is elected as President of this country in exchange for support for his candidacy," he said.

"I am not prone to spread rumors. I am speaking from personal experience," he said.

Enrile then detailed what he hinted as bribe offer made by Villar sometime last year.

Upon Villar's invitation, the Senate leader said he had lunch with the senator at a Japanese restaurant in Makati City.

Enrile said he "graciously agreed" even if at that time, Villar and his allies in the Senate minority group, filed a case in the Supreme Court to stop the Committee of the Whole's investigation into his involvement in the C-5 project.

"I believe it is my duty to oblige and listen whenever any of my colleagues request to see me or talk to me," Enrile said.

During the meeting, Enrile said, Villar expressed his request "for my help because he was concerned about the investigation."

"He asserted that he had done nothing wrong and that Senator [Jamby] Madrigal's charges had no basis," he said.

"I explained to him that since the complaint of Senator Madrigal has been referred to the Committee of the Whole and that the Supreme Court had not issued the temporary restraining order they sought, the hearing must proceed," he further said.

Enrile said he then "very clearly" and "repeatedly advised" Villar to participate in the proceedings so he could present his case.

"Several times during that meeting, Senator Villar interjected: "Manong, baka naman may maitutulong ako sa inyo. Makakatulong naman ako kung may kailangan kayo [Manong, there might be something I can do to help you. I can help if there?s anything that you need]," Enrile said, recalling their conversation during the meeting.

"I chose to ignore these statements, feeling very uncomfortable. But I told him, Manny, gusto kitang tulungan [I want to help you]. What I can promise you is that I will be fair to you. I will not allow the hearings to go beyond the issues referred to the committee nor for it to be turned into a fishing expedition," the Senate leader said.

When he repeated his offer, Enrile said he told Villar, "Manny, if I help you, don't worry walang kapalit yun [I ask for nothing in return]."

Enrile sponsored the Committee of the Whole report censuring Villar for allegedly making sure that his real estate company benefit from the right-of-way deals in the C-5 road project. The report has been signed by 12 senators, including Enrile.

Villar denied his company unduly benefited from the project, claiming other land properties and real estate firms benefited from the project. He also denied that he engineered an overpricing of his land in the right-of-way deal.

His allies said the case against Villar should be best decided by the court because the Senate has become a highly partisan venue of presidential aspirants and Villar could not expect a fair hearing in it.