MANILA – The head of the Philippine Senate called a senior member a “coward†for refusing to answer on the Senate floor committee findings that he allegedly used his influence to divert funds for a government road project to benefit his housing project and real estate properties in Metro Manila.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile vented his ire on Senator Manuel Villar whom he accused not only of cowardice but also for allegedly instigating a “revolt†in the chamber to remove him from power.
Villar, acknowledged as the richest member of the Senate, is the presidential candidate of the Nacionalista (Nationalist) Party in the coming May 10 elections. He made his fortune building houses for both rich and poor Filipinos and similar real estate investments.
On the other hand, Enrile, a lawyer, served as the defense secretary during the martial law regime of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. He is running for reelection under the ticket of ousted president Joseph Estrada.
The controversy started when Enrile announced he already finished a committee report on the investigation of allegations that Villar, when he was Senate president, used his influence to divert government funds for a major road project to benefit real estate properties he and his family own in suburban Paranaque City, Metro Manila.
Enrile chaired the Senate Committee of the Whole that looked into the alleged scandal and recommended that Villar be censured by his colleagues for “unethical conduct.â€
In his report, Enrile also recommended that Villar return to the Filipino people the equivalent of $40 million which his companies allegedly earned as a result of the fund diversion.
Enrile said he wants the report to be introduced on the Senate floor where it will be subjected to debates and discussions before the members vote, particularly on the recommendation to censure Villar and force him to return the $40 million.
But he said that instead of cooperating, Villar and his supporters boycotted the Senate sessions, resulting in the failure of the chamber to act on the report and other vital legislation awaiting action for lack of quorum.
In doing so, Enrile called Villar a coward for leading a boycott of the Senate sessions to prevent the committee report from being discussed by the members.
He reminded Villar that as one aspiring for the presidency, he should be man enough to face especially the issues that put into doubt his character and integrity.
For his part, however, Villar said the recommendations contained in the Enrile report were “politically motivated†and designed to derail his presidential bid in the May elections.
Villar also called the Enrile committee a “kangaroo court†because most of the senators who signed the report belong to political parties opposing his candidacy.
At the same time, Villar denied he and his supporters are instigating a revolt for the ouster of Enrile so that the report would no longer by be introduced on the floor.
But Villar’s denial was disputed by administration Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who disclosed that the Villar camp has been courting Senator Edgardo Angara to replace Enrile as Senate president.
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