Roxas and Guingona: Call for Villar to quit premature

CEBU – Presidential aspirant Manuel “Mar” Roxas and House Deputy Minority Leader Teofisto “TG” Guingona III believes that the call of Sen. Panfilo Lacson for Senate President Manuel Villar to resign is very premature in the absence of any formal investigation on the allegations of corruption hurled against Villar.

Roxas said investigation on the allegations that Villar benefited from the controversial C5 road project in Sucat, Parañaque, has yet to begin, thus conclusions should be avoided. Villar was allegedly responsible for the supposed double funding for the road project amounting to P200 million. 

Villar denied the allegations and welcomed an investigation by the Senate so he could shed light on the issue.

Guingona, who earlier said he might run for Senator under Villar’s slate in 2010, said Lacson’s allegations were but political grandstanding.

“He is calling for the resignation of Villar when, in fact, everything is still purely allegations. He is just politicking,” Guingona said.

Guingona also said that contrary to Lacson’s allegations, there were no insertions in the 2008 annual budget, except for the amendments made during the Bicameral Conference.

Roxas, Lacson and Villar are among the names floated to run for President in 2010.

Roxas and Guingona were in Cebu the other day for the Anti-Corruption Forum organized by the Urban Poor Alliance of Cebu. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)