Feeling left out by LP, Tesda chief Villanueva seeks NPC support

After saying some people in the Liberal Party (LP) want him out of the administration ticket, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva, a close friend of President Aquino, is gaining support from members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Villanueva joined the NPC at its “fellowship” gathering at its Quezon City clubhouse on Tuesday night, which was also attended for the second time by Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero.

Many NPC members are also inclined to support a Poe-Escudero ticket if it would materialize, party stalwarts said earlier.

Villanueva told reporters that he was happy to be invited to the NPC event, noting that many party members are his longtime friends.

Several NPC members promised to back Villanueva if he runs for the Senate.

“There are individual commitments, but it would be better if you would ask them,” he told reporters, adding that NPC members had been supportive of his work at Tesda.

After the meeting, Villanueva also posed for a picture with Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, the NPC president, and NPC chair Faustino Dy Jr., with Dy raising the Tesda chief’s hand.

Villanueva said he informed President Aquino about his visit to the NPC clubhouse.

“I’m very sure he is aware of my whereabouts and I’m very sure he understands what I’m doing,” he said.

He said he was not an LP member. He has his own group, the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption, which is in coalition with political parties.

He also noted that the NPC was an ally of the administration and supported its reform program.

Villanueva also said he was closer to deciding whether to run for the Senate, and there were only a few more things he needed to iron out.

“My interest is growing, as well as my belief that we are not alone in the advocacy. But again, there are factors that I need to consider, such as full family support,” he said.

Pork barrel scam

He also said the complaint against him about alleged misuse of his pork barrel funds when he was a member of the House of Representatives would not affect his decision whether to run for the Senate.

Villanueva is accused of funneling P2.33 million from his share of the Priority Development Assistance Fund to fake foundations set up by Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

He has denied the allegation, insisting the documents used against him were spurious.