Villar: My businesses being harassed

Former Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. revealed yesterday that he, too, has experienced some form of harassment from the government but expressed confidence he can fend them off.

"There have been inquiries by some government agencies on my businesses. In any case, I have nothing to hide," Villar said while refusing to discuss the details.

The ousted Speaker, who led a mass defection from the ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino coalition, has investments in real estate, low-cost housing and banking.

The congressman from Las Piñas admitted that he has lost a lot of friends in politics as a result of the exodus that paved the way for the impeachment of President Estrada on Nov. 13.

Villar said he has not spoken to the President since. Early this week, Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s chief of staff, Renato Corona, cried harassment when three armed men claiming to be agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) tried to gain access into his Quezon City residence.

One of the agents has since apologized to Corona for the hostile and high-handed manner in which they behaved before his household.

Meanwhile, Villar insisted he violated no rules when he forwarded the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

Mr. Estrada’s lawyers have filed a motion to quash the impeachment complaint, raising questions over the haste by which the House forwarded the articles of impeachment.

"There was no violation of House rules. We used the third mode of impeaching the President, which is by a signature of 73 congressmen," he said.

Villar said in the end, the opposition would prevail. At the same time, he expressed concern that the "delaying tactics" by the Estrada defense could leave very little time for the Senate trial.

The upper chamber has to adjourn in Feb. 8 to give way to the elections in May.

"The lawyers of President Estrada should not only look at this case from a legal perspective, but also consider public opinion," Villar said.

He said that even if the President survives the political crisis, he still has to contend with an economic backlash, "which could prove more difficult to hurdle."