If Noynoy has Kris, I've got Pacquiao, Villar says

Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manuel "Manny" Villar Jr. said seeing celebrity Kris Aquino campaigning for her brother in Mindanao was the least of his worries, adding he has just the right star power to match it — boxing champ Manny Pacquiao. In an interview with GMANews.TV and GMA News, Villar said he was no longer surprised when he learned that Kris flew all the way to Zamboanga City on Wednesday to campaign for Liberal Party presidential bet Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. "Hindi ako nagugulat doon. Si Kris ay kapatid ni Noynoy, so natural lang na sasama siya. So hindi na nakakagulat iyon," Villar said. The senator was at the GMA Network Center for an interview on GMANews.TV web show "Examine." (I’m not surprised. Kris is the sister of Noynoy so it's natural for her to join the sorties.)

He added that he still considered both Kris and Noynoy as "my friends" despite the neck-and-neck competition between the two presidential bets, who continue to lead in virtually all surveys. As for his own campaign, Villar said he was just awaiting Pacquiao's return to the Philippines before the tandem hits the ground running for his campaign. Pacquiao is set to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Ghanian Joshua Clottey in a match at the the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in the US on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila). While being interviewed, Villar excused himself and said he had to answer a cellphone call. After his phone conversation, the senator said, "I just spoke with Manny [Pacquiao]. Ayan, sinabi na niya sa akin na sasama siya sa akin." Villar said Pacquiao — who is running for congressman of Saranggani's lone district under NP — would be joining him not only in the boxing champ's sortie in his home province but also in other provinces. "Ako ang magde-decide kung saan siya sasama... pero nationwide yan," Villar said. (I will be the one deciding where we will go but it will be nationwide.) Villar also took pride in a videotaped message of Pacquiao endorsing him, saying it helped the party in its campaign sortie. The tape was played during the NP's grand rally in Mandaue City in late February. "Gumawa nga siya ng endorsement na tinape niya at pine-play ko sa ibang lugar," Villar said. (He made a tape endorsing me and we play it in our sortie.) In the taped message, the seven-time world division boxing champion reiterated his pormise to join Villar in his campaign trail. "Pagdating ko po sa Pilipinas, sasamahan ko po ang aking mahal na presidente na si Manny Villar para po ma-introduce sa inyong lahat," Pacquiao said. (When I return to the country, I will accompany my beloved president Manny Villar so that I can personally introduce him to all of you.) "Eto po si Manny Villar, siya po ang sagot sa ating mga problema dahil alam ko na galing siya sa hirap, kailangan natin ng isang lider na ang damdamin niya ay nasa pakiramdam ng mahihirap," he added. (This is Manny Villar. He is the solution to all our problems because he knows how it is to be poor and we need a leader whose sympathies like with the poor.) Besides the boxing champion, Villar has also tapped the help of other celebrities like veteran actor Dolphy Quizon, singer Sarah Geronimo, and noontime show host Willie Revillame to spice up his presidential campaign. But perhaps Aquino has the upper hand when it comes to celebrities openly endorsing him, partly because his sister is a famous showbiz personality. In a celebrity-studded campaign video released late last year, Noynoy and Kris were seen being joined by celebrities like Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, Regine Velasquez, and Kris' close friend Boy Abunda. On Wednesday, Kris said she joined Noynoy's campaign sortie — the first time she did so — in Zamboanga City because the place is special for the Aquinos. She added that the city is also where Noynoy went on a retreat in September to decide on how to respond to the clamor for him to run for president. "Ilang beses ko na pong napatunayan sa 'min na hindi kami nag-iisa. Ang hinihingi ko po sa inyo, sa May 10, sana naman po hindi niyo makakalimutan: Noynoy Aquino," said Kris, before leading the crowd into chanting Noynoy's name. (I have seen it proven many times that we are not alone. Now I ask you, on May 10, please do not forget Noynoy Aquino.) - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV