Villar gets Cardinal's blessing, no endorsement

CEBU CITY – Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Senator Manuel Villar Jr. on Saturday sought and received Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal's blessing. Both Vidal and Villar clarified that the meeting should not be misconstrued as an endorsement for the May polls. “I’m happy he found time to see me. I know he was always really kind," Cardinal Vidal told reporters after a meeting with Villar at the Archbishop’s Palace in Cebu City. With Villar were his ticket’s senatorial candidates Gilbert Remulla, Adel Tamano, Satur Ocampo, L iza Maza, Susan Ople and Gwen Pimentel. Detained Col. Ariel Querubin, another NP senatorial bet, was represented by his son, Martin. Asked what his message for Villar was, Vidal answered that he told the presidential candidate to “keep well your health and pray to the Lord." “He visited because he is an old friend, ever since he was in government, especially when he became President of the Senate," Vidal said. On the other hand, Villar said he was only seeking Vidal’s ‘blessing’ and not an endorsement for his candidacy. “Hindi ako humingi ng endorsement dahil si Cardinal ay isa sa pinakamataas na spiritual leader ng Catholic Church sa ating bansa (I did not seek for an endorsement because the Cardinal is one of the highest spiritual leaders of the Catholic Church in the country)," Villar said. “Sapat na sa akin na ipagdasal niya ako at ang ating misyon (It is enough that he prays for me and my mission)," he added. With or without Vidal's endorsement, Villar's highly publicized visit to pay his respects to the influential prelate can only improve his standing with the sizable Cebuano voting population. Both Villar and running mate Loren Legarda are Luzon based and up against an Aquino-Roxas ticket that claims a base in the Visayas. Roxas traces his roots to Capiz. Before meeting with Vidal, Villar and his ticket visited the Opon Public Market in Lapu-Lapu City, as well as a residential area in Barangay Suba in Cebu City. Legarda earlier in the day visited the Carbon Public Market in Cebu City, but had to fly back to Manila for a prior appointment. — LBG/HGS,GMANews.TV