Jamby claims getting P1-B offer for dropping charges vs Villar

(Updated 1:07 p.m.) Independent presidential candidate Senator Maria Ana Consuelo ‘Jamby’ Madrigal on Wednesday claimed she was offered P1 billion to stop her from filing charges of corruption, among others, against Senator Manuel ‘Manny’ Villar. Senator Loren Legarda, Villar's running mate, described the allegation as unthinkable and preposterous. "An emissary was sent… binibigyan ng malaking halaga. Ang kapalit [nito] ay hindi ko na itutuloy ang imbestigasyon sa Senado… i-withdraw ko na lang iyong aking mga paratang... malaking malaking halaga po… P1 billion," Madrigal said on GMA’s Unang Hirit’s “UH Hiritan 2010," a television forum for national candidates for the May elections. Madrigal refused to name the one who sent the supposed emissary, but said, “kakaunti lang naman ang mga sobrang yaman na tumatakbong presidente." Villar, the richest senator, is also the wealthiest presidential candidate running this May.
Madrigal said, however, that she cannot elaborate yet on the issue as she was waiting for a friend — who she said was the one the emissary approached personally — to come out. "Until I can corroborate it, I [cannot elaborate on the issue yet]," Madrigal said. Asked for her comments on Madrigal’s claims during an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Villar’s running mate Senator Loren Legarda said she had not heard about the alleged P1-billion bribery try. "It's unthinkable, preposterous. I haven't heard of it," Legarda said. While campaigning in Kabacan, North Cotabato, Villar denied insinuations that he was the one who sent an emissary to offer P1 billion to Madrigal. "Never kaming nag-offer, basta tuluy-tuloy lang ang kampanya (We did not offer anything, we'll just continue campaigning)," he told reporters. He then reiterated that his contenders are hurling accusations one after the other. "Ito naman ay nakikitaan natin ng pattern, nagre-relay na lang, palit-palitan... pag tapos na yung isa, yung isa naman (We see a pattern here. After one has hurled an accusation, another one will also hurl an accusation)," he said.
Land grabber Also during Unang Hirit’s interview, Madrigal called Villar a land-grabber, saying the presidential candidate had demolished houses he earlier gave away, citing accounts of homeowners from San Pedro town in Laguna. “Sabi niya, nagbibigay daw siya ng mga bahay sa mga mahihirap, eh ang sabi nitong mga mahihirap, pumupunta sa amin, umiiyak, kasi yung mismong lupa nila ay kinuha nanaman ni Villar. Mayroon pang pinatay (He claims he is giving houses to the poor, but why should these poor people come to us in tears saying Villar had taken away what he gave. One was even killed)," Madrigal said. Asked by economist Solita Monsod where Madrigal sourced her evidence on the accusations against Villar, Madrigal said they conducted a study with his lawyer and the team discovered 900 pieces of evidence against the Nacionalista Party standard bearer. "Hindi po whistle-blower ang nagbigay sa amin. Talagang nagkaroon kami ng team. Si Atty. Francisco, nagtrabaho siya pro bono, walang bayad for the Senate and for me, na kinalkal talaga namin lahat itong 900 pieces of evidence," referring to her counsel, lawyer Ernesto Francisco. Pressed further on why she is concentrating her tirades against Villar and not to the other presidential contenders, Madrigal said it was because of Villar’s "lack of leadership" and arrogance during his stint as Senate president. "Why Villar? Sapagkat nakita ko noong siya pa iyong Senate president, he had no leadership. Parang kinakausap ka lang tapos kung ano ang gusto mo, hayan ibibigay. Hindi naman kami nakakausap. So paano magkakaroon ng presidente na lahat pinapakiusap, lahat parang may kapalit," Madrigal said. - with a reports from Sophia Dedace and Amita Legaspi/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV