Villanueva warms up to de Lima at ‘Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid’ launch

BEING in the same senatorial ticket, outgoing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima does not feel awkward sharing the stage with former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director Joel Villanueva.

Like De Lima, Villanueva, who earlier admitted he’s not comfortable running with the secretary, said he is “a professional who believes there is no perfect set-up.” De Lima sued Villanueva for alleged malversation over the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

On Monday, De Lima and Villanueva were introduced by the Liberal Party leaders as among their bets in next year’s national elections in a ceremony at the LP Headquarters  in Cubao, Quezon City.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect set-up at hindi naman po natin hinihintay ang perfect set-up para makapaglingkod tayo at maibigay natin what is due sa ating mga kababayan,” Villanueva told reporters after the launch of the “Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid.”

Villanueva, who has been repeatedly lauded by President Aquino for providing jobs for 9 million Filipinos, is included in the third batch of pork barrel scam case for allegedly receiving P2.33 million in kickbacks from the fake foundations of Janet Lim-Napoles.

Meanwhile, De Lima said she did not take the filing of charges against Villanueva personally.

“I always try to be professional; I am a professional worker in government; everything that I do is just really for the sake of doing my job and always nothing personal and I respect the right of everyone to join the electoral race,” she told reporters.

Villanueva said he shook hands with De Lima during the coalition’s launch.

“Yung personal feelings hindi naman po dapat humadlang kapag ang kalaban na ay magandang kinabukasan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said. Julliane Love de Jesus

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