MANILA, Philippines -- A “big lie,” was how Senate President Manny Villar described his alleged involvement or any insinuation that he had pocketed money from the controversial C-5 road construction in Parañaque City.
“I categorically deny any participation in the alleged erroneous appropriation in the 2008 national budget. Ito ay malaking kasinungalingan [This is a big lie],” Villar said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“I strongly detest the insinuation that I pocketed public money in the construction of the C-5 extension road from the South Luzon Expressway to Sucat in Parañaque City,” he said.
Villar explained that the C-5 road extension was part of the P2.1 billion project of the Department of Public Works and Highways that he was advocating.
As a public official, Villar said, one of his advocacies was the improvement of road systems to improve the traffic situation in Mega Manila to spur economic progress.
“Ang problema dito sa atin, yung mga walang nagagawa kasi naninira [The problem with us is that those who are doing nothing are those who are trying to destroy our reputation]. Sana man lang ipakita nila yung mga kanilang ginagawa at iharap nila sa tao [Why don’t they just show what they have done to the people],” Villar said but refused to say whether was alluding to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
It was Lacson who mentioned the name of Villar in connection with the double appropriation of the project in the 2008 budget.
While he could not also understand why there had been double posting of the P200 million appropriation, Villar said the amount was in fact, not enough, considering the amount needed to complete the project.
“Kaya dito sa isa pang issue baka ini-insinuate na ako’y nagkapera dito, kanina nagulat nga ako na ako pala yun [That’s why in this issue, there was an insinuation that I earned from the project, which was a surprise to me]. E maski na singkong duling wala akong tinatanggap ditto [I did not receive a single centavo from this project],” he said.
“Hindi ako involved sa paggawa nito e [I am not involved in the road construction]. Hindi ako nagbi-bid out, hindi ako pumipili ng contractors [I was not part of any bidding, I did not choose the contractors]. Hindi ako pumipili ng supplier [I did not choose the suppliers]. Hindi ko malaman kung paano ako kikita ditto [I do not know how I could have earned from this project],” he further said.
Villar said it was clear that his involvement on the issue was politically motivated after he declared his intention to run for president in 2010.
“Kaya medyo ako ay galit din dahil hindi naman tama yun na dahil ikaw ay nagdeklara na magpi-presidente ka ay kung anu-ano na ang naririnig natin [That’s why I am a bit angry because I don’t think it’s right that not just because you declared your intention to run for president, you will be hearing a lot of things]. Huwag naman ganyan [That shouldn’t be]. Sana walang below the belt bagamat kung gusto naman nilang below the belt, ok din naman tayo [I hope they don’t hit below the belt but if that’s what they want, then we’re also ok with that],” he said.
Villar said he was open to any inquiry that would be initiated in the Senate “if only to sustain our efforts to promote transparency in government.”
Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Richard Gordon, and Francis “Chiz” Escudero favored an inquiry on the matter.
But Enrile, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said an investigation might just be a waste of time since the second budget for the project had not been released anyway.
For his part, Escudero said any member of the Senate, even its president, implicated in the controversy should inhibit from the investigation.
Villar said that although he was open to any investigation he did not agree with the call to inhibit, saying he wants to answer any question that would be raised against him.
