Villar emerges as top opposition bet

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. is the top choice from the opposition slate to succeed President Arroyo in 2010, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

In a survey conducted Feb. 20-23 among 1,200 respondents, Villar was the foremost option whom Filipinos would vote for when asked who they think is the best opposition leader to replace Mrs. Arroyo in 2010.

The survey question read: “Who do you think are good leaders who should succeed Pres. Arroyo as President? You may give up to three names.”

Responding to the question, 13 percent named Villar – the highest rating among the presidential candidates in the opposition.

Senators Francis Escudero got 11 percent; Loren Legarda, 11 percent; former President Joseph Estrada, 9 percent; Senators Panfilo Lacson, 6 percent and Manuel Roxas II, 5 percent.

Meanwhile, 18 percent picked administration presidential candidate Vice President Noli de Castro.

The latest SWS report further bolstered speculations of a possible Villar-De Castro tandem in next year’s elections. Both De Castro and Villar, members of the Wednesday Club at the Senate, have been mum on the reported team-up.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of Villar in the Nacionalista Party, said this could be the reason why some senators eyeing the presidency in 2010 are trying to discredit Villar.

“If the opposition will follow the suggestion of former President Erap that whoever will get the highest rating in the polls or surveys should be the one supported by everyone in the opposition line-up, then it just goes to show that Villar should be the one pitted by the opposition versus the administration,” Cayetano said in a statement.

Villar is facing controversy over the alleged double insertion of P200 million for a road extension project.

The Senate convened itself into a Committee of the Whole after the minority senators questioned the integrity of the ethics committee led by Lacson.

Cayetano added that presidentiables in the Senate such as Lacson, Roxas, Legarda, Escudero and Richard Gordon are very keen to start the investigation of the Senate ethics committee on Villar because of his high survey ratings.

“They want to create intrigues and to drag into the controversy the businesses that were established by the former Senate president even before he joined politics,” Cayetano said.

Besides Gordon, the four senators (Lacson, Roxas, Legarda and Escudero) are among the 10 who voted to continue the investigation on Villar in the Committee of the Whole, while they are trying to cover up the issue on the bogus “order” issued by the ethics committee.

“Since September 2008, they have been bringing up the issue on the C-5 road project supported by Senator Villar... right on time when the survey groups are doing their field work. Now, they again timed the investigation of the ethics committee, which they even made into a Committee of the Whole, within the survey period,” Cayetano said.

He added that Villar’s supporters remain strong and steady despite the attacks and the demolition job.

For his part, Villar said he is ready to defend himself of accusations before the plenary as he expressed confidence that Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will give him a fair chance in the Committee of the Whole.