Villar shrugs off latest Jamby stab

Bandera First Posted 07:30:00 03/11/2010 Filed Under:

Villar shrugs off latest Jamby stab

KABACAN, North Cotabato — Sen. Manuel Villar shrugged off news allegations by rival candidate Sen. Ana Consuelo Madrigal that he had offered her P1 billion to withdraw her C5 ethics complaint against him in the Senate.

Ignoring Madrigal's latest attack, Villar yesterday told reporters in an ambush interview during a visit to the University of Southern Mindanao that it was just the latest installment in the demolition job on him.

"It's just like having a different meal served every breakfast, so I don't pay much attention," he said.

Villar again pointed to the supposed conspiracy among his political foes to derail his candidacy at all cost—including nasty allegations and lies.

"We can see the pattern—raising one issue after the other," he said, explaining that more and more of such political attacks would be thrown at him as election day draws nearer.

Villar stressed that waging a nationwide campaign was costly.

"I guess everyone has to contend with the prohibitive cost, so there's nothing left to be offered (to my rivals) and I will not make such an offer," he said. "We really don't care anymore what the other candidates are doing."

He did not give a straight answer when asked if Madrigal, who obtained a .1 percent rating in the latest Social Weather Stations survey, was still a threat to his candidacy.

"As far as I'm concerned, I made no offer to anyone. I will never make such an offer because I'm focused on my campaign, which I pursue continuously," said Villar, who drew cheers from thousands of students who welcomed him during his visits to various schools in the provinces of North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

Villar visited the campuses of Central Mindanao Colleges and Notre Dame School in Kidapawan as well as the University of Southern Mindanao in Cotabato.

He then proceeded by chopper to Kabacan and later to Koronadal City for yet another market tour.

Villar was upbeat and showed no signs of being affected by a barrage of what he called "black propaganda" launched by his political foes following his improving opinion polls, the latest of which was the Social Weather Station survey showing him and his closest rival Benigno Aquino in a statistical tie.

Villar vowed to continue to focus on bringing his message of poverty alleviation and good governance to the people.

"We will continue to intensify our campaign focused on fighting poverty. That is what's important to us, not the vilification drive. We will not pay attention anymore to the accusations hurled against us," he said.—Inquirer

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