Jinggoy to withdraw signature from pro-Villar reso

Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy" Estrada on Wednesday said he is withdrawing his signature in the controversial resolution clearing Senator Manny Villar Jr. in the ethics case he is facing in connection with the C-5 road project controversy. Estrada, a guest senatorial candidate in Villar’s Nacionalista Party (NP), said he would withdraw his signature to erase suspicions that he gained something from it. He, however, said he still believes that Villar, a presidential aspirant in the 2010 elections, is innocent from accusations that he used his position to profit from the government’s C-5 road extension project. “I will not change my position that Senator Villar is innocent of the charges filed against him. Having read both the testimonial and the documentary evidence, I still maintain that he is innocent of the charges against him," Estrada said. Twelve senators, including Villar and his running mate, Loren Legarda, signed Senate Resolution 1472 asking the committee of the whole to junk the ethics case against the NP’s standard bearer. Villar is also accused of realigning the C-5 road extension project to benefit properties registered in the name of corporations that he and his family own and control. There was also supposedly a conflict of interest on Villar’s part when he did not divest himself of interest in corporations whose properties were acquired by the government for road right of way for the Las Piñas-Paranaque road. Other signatures to stay Other signatories, meanwhile, were not keen on following Estrada's footsteps. “If we are to indict a senator of the Republic, I want the [Department of Public Works and Highways], the [Bureau of Internal Revenue] and the local governments to face the music also," said Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan. Sen. Joker Arroyo said the signatories believe that the case, which was based on a complaint by Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal, against Villar was politically motivated. The resolution was filed a day before Villar formally announced Legarda as his running mate in the 2010 elections. Timing Estrada questioned the timing of the filing of the resolution, which is asking the committee of the whole to junk the ethics case against Villar. He said he was made to believe that the measure would be filed after the committee reports its finding on the floor. “I’m questioning the timing of the filing of that particular resolution because it created insinuations that I was paid, there was money consideration, I was offered a slot as guest candidate," Estrada said. According to Estrada, Villar offered him to be a guest candidate of NP even before the resolution was crafted. He said the NP could remove him from the list if it wants to. “If the NP removes me from the list as guest candidate, so be it," he said. Estrada was not able to withdraw his signature Wednesday as the Senate adjourned its session due to lack of quorum. He will make his manifestation before the floor when the Senate resumes its session on December 2. The Congress will have a one-week recess starting November 21 to allow candidates in the 2010 polls to prepare and file their certificates of candidacy with the Commission on Elections (Comelec). - GMANews.TV