12 senators clear Villar in C-5 road deal

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve senators have signed Senate Resolution 1472 expressing the sense of the Senate to dismiss the ethics complaint against Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar on the controversial C-5 road double insertions issue.

Those who signed were Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Gregorio Honasan, Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Ramon Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan and Villar.

Right across Villar’s signature were the words, “Bilang pagtatanggol sa aking pangalan (As a way to defend my name).”

The resolution “dismisses the complaint against Villar and clears him of alleged acts of disorderly behavior.”

“Whereas the complainant’s very own witnesses all testified to the regularity of the C-5 extension project,” the resolution reads.

The resolution also upheld that the allegations of double insertion in the 2008 General Appropriations Act were not established.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, an NP stalwart, welcomed the resolution, saying it is a vindication for Sen. Villar.

“It shows his leadership and how he answered the issue squarely,” he said.

Cayetano expressed hope that those who made the accusations against Villar, referring to Senators Jamby Madrigal and Panfilo Lacson, can accept the decision of the Senate.

He said that not a single one of the witnesses has issued evidence against Villar.

“It was only Senator Madrigal and her lawyer who made the allegation,” he said.

The Senate Resolution has preempted the committee report being prepared by the Senate Committee of the Whole led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who presided the hearings.

With 12 senators signing the resolution, the decision of the committee of the whole seemed preempted.

Nonetheless, the number of senators who signed already comprised a majority of the 23 senators.

“It is just a matter of style whether it’s a committee report or a resolution. We do know that there is politics in all of this and that there are certain people who do not want Senator Villar to be cleared,” Cayetano said.

“You cannot just take the word of Lacson and Madrigal. When we realized that there was no inkling to clear him, we decided to put together a resolution. I am happy that this is over,” he said.