TAGAYTAY CITY—Senator Manny Villar dared his fellow presidential candidates on Friday to show "character" and "integrity" instead of making "empty promises."

Unlike his contenders, Villar boasted that he has shown those qualities when he led the impeachment case against former president Joseph Estrada when he was still the Speaker of the House of Representatives and when he lost the Senate presidency because he fought hard for its independence.

"We should be able to demonstrate these qualities when we talk about integrity, when we talk about character," he said when he spoke before the KBP management conference.

"Character can't be inherited. It is lived. You have to earn it,” said Villar.

To clean up the government, Villar said the next leader should cite specific instances where he or she had shown that he or she was capable of doing things for the people and the country.

"Otherwise, that’s just empty promises,” he said.

Unlike his contenders also, Villar reiterated that he does not live in anyone's shadow, an apparent reference at Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, son of late president Corazon Aquino and martyred Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino III.

But asked by reporters, Villar denied that he was referring to Aquino.

"No. It could be Gibo," he said referring to the administration's bet, resigned Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

If elected President, Villar promised to "put this country out of the mess."

"I think, I'm ready. I'm presenting myself to the people. I'm just telling them, I'm ready to put this country out of the mess," he said.