Senate, fair and impartial decision on Manny Villar’s C-5 ethics case?
This afternoon, the senate became ground zero for a massive political fireworks display as it convened to deliberate over the possible censure of Senator Manny Villar because of an ethics complaint filed over the C-5 controversy.
Senator and Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar faces charges of unethical conduct and violating the 1987 Constitution for failing to divest himself of controlling shares in real estate firms that earned billions of pesos in taxpayer’s money over road right-of-way projects.
According to the report of the Senate Committee of the Whole, Villar should be censured for failing to divulge that his real estate companies would benefit from the Las Piñas-Parañaque link road and the C-5 road extension projects.
The report said the government spent P6.2 billion on the C-5 road extension project, including the realigned P4.28 billion for the extension project, the P1.8 billion spent for the original project but was wasted due to the realignment, and the reportedly overpriced payment of P141 million in right-of-way for Villar’s real estate companies.
Senator Mar Roxas, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Jamby Madrigal, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile were one is asking why Senator Manny Villar doesn’t face his peers over such a serious charge.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, apparently lawyering for Senator Manny Villar, questioned the impartiality and fairness of the Senate.
Whether the senate actually gets to censure Senator Manny Villar or not, the more weighty decision over the matter of the C-5 controversy will be rendered by voters in the May 2010 polls.
Senate president is fair enough its a pity that Villar is really guilty & refuses to face the committee.Every body can be bought in this country, money talks & Villar has the money.Kakahiya! Go for Gordon/ Fernando in 2010.
i know Gordon is a good bet for this coming election but if i would have to vote for a candidate who can make Villar not to win, i would vote for Noynoy.
Last presidential election, I decided to vote GMA because I don’t want FPJ to win because I fear he’ll just become a puppet to the people around him. Its lesser evil, I think, that time but now that 6 years have passed, I am thinking if GMA’s actions are LESSER EVIL because I thought it is the MOST EVIL administration this country has encountered.
Now, its Villar and Aquino. Like in the movies, its EVIL vs GOOD. Aquino may not be better than the other presidentiables but I have to vote for him so that Villar won’t win this election. I really fear our country will not go to where Villar is promising to us.
Gordon is also good. I really want him to win. If surveys became good during the campaign, then I’ll vote for him.