Attack Against Senate President Manny Villar

The Looking Glass

Column, Sunday Post

      Despite the obvious demolition job orchestrated on the floor of the Senate by the unlikely tandem of Senators Ping Lacson and Jamby Madrigal, the object of their attack Senate President Manny Villar appears unperturbed, and so far has not said any unkind word against them. 

       Villar's multi- partisan allies in the Senate led by administration Senator Joker Arroyo and opposition stalwart Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., including the legislative firebrand Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, continue to support the former vis- a-vis the scurrilous attacks against the Senate Chief. 

       Today's Senate has become the battleground of presidentiables with at least three (3) senators who are widely known as aspiring for the presidency in 2010, namely, Villar, Lacson and Senator Mar Roxas. 

       The vitriolic attacks on Villar is based on the alleged congressional insertions in last year's budget showing that there were two (2) appropriations for the C- 5 road in Metro Manila , a road that is also known as Carlos P. Garcia Avenue. The road appears to have two (2) P200- million appropriations intended for its concreting and improvement. 

       Despite Lacson and Madrigal's tirade on the Senate floor, they have not so far presented hard evidence to prove their accusations that Villar was responsible for the insertions. Nothing in the records would show that Manny Villar had indeed dipped his hand into the questioned appropriation.  

       The bad thing going against Lacson and Madrigal is that both refused to be questioned or interpellated on the Senate floor, which is a showing that they do not have  proof of Villar's alleged wrongdoing. Such actuations are condemnable since they are hiding behind the clock of parliamentary immunity, and are therefore protected from legal retribution. 

       To our mind, Senators Ping Lacson and Jamby Madrigal can never come together with their colleagues in the Senate, neither can they be expected to keep working as team players in the Villar Senate presidency, where working together can only spell legislative success during these tough economic times. They appear to be super stars trying to outshine the moon knowing that this can never  happen even in a democratic environment.