‘I’m not guilty,’ Cynthia Villar quips on Senate leadership change

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — All is well in the Senate, at least for Senator Cynthia Villar, who doesn’t feel any guilt after supporting the new leadership of Senator Francis Escudero.

Villar was among the 15 senators who backed Escudero’s ascension to the upper chamber’s top post following the resignation of former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Despite the leadership change, Villar said she keeps a good relationship with her colleagues, including the new Solid 7 group in the Senate.

“Ok lang. Wala naman akong ginawang masama sa kanila e, and I’m not guilty. And I did not ask any favor for myself,” she said.

(It’s okay. I didn’t do anything wrong to them, and I’m not guilty. I did not ask for any favor for myself)

Solid 7 is composed of Zubiri and the six senators who stayed with him after the leadership change— Senators Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, and Sherwin Gatchalian.

Villar refused to cite specific reasons why she supported Escudero, except saying that he had secured the vote of the majority of the 24 senators.

“Alam nyo ang Senate president, majority wins and Senator Chiz has the majority, so tayo nakikisama tayo sa mga wish ng majority. We always honor the wish of the majority,” she said.

(You know, in the Senate presidency,  the majority wins, and Senator Chiz has the majority, so we agree with the majority’s wishes. We always honor the wish of the majority.)

Further pressed, Villar said she believes there were many reasons but did not elaborate.

“Ayoko ng sabihin yun, kasi hindi magandang tingnan. Lahat naman sila OK, except that the majority has to win,” she also said when asked if Zubiri had shortcomings.

(I don’t want to say it anymore because it looks terrible. But they are all okay, except that the majority has to win)

Villar also believes the new Senate chief has granted the committee wishes of his colleagues, even those who did not support the leadership change.