Although he did not recall the date of his contact with alleged coup plotters save that it was after the May 2004 presidential elections, Villanueva said different organizations had invited him to join the proposed caretaker coalition government that was meant to take over after President Arroyo was forced from power.
Some civilians, retired military men, former Cabinet members and others who were still in active service "just asked my views… if I am willing to be a part if ever there would be a coalition or transition caretaker government," he said.
Villanueva said he refused to join the coalition government because its "organizers" failed to give specific answers to specific questions he had raised.
"My answer to them is also a series of questions. Is there any guarantee that there could be genuine change and reforms in our country if ever that caretaker coalition government is implemented?" he said.
"Who are these people who are supposed to be seated in the council? Are they people of integrity? Are they known for their incorruptibility?" Villanueva added. "And of course my last question was, what is the guarantee that it would be peaceful and lead the nation to constitutional democracy?"
Villanueva said he did not commit to anyone "because my real desire is to solve the problem peacefully, constitutionally."
While he does not support any coup attempts against Mrs. Arroyo, Villanueva said he was pushing for snap elections, noting that the country’s problem is the perception that Mrs. Arroyo does not have a genuine mandate from the people to govern since she was accused of cheating in the 2004 presidential polls.
"In the absence of genuine mandate to govern there is no moral authority for her to lead the nation and in the absence of moral authority to lead the nation it is impossible for her to have political will to do what is right and what is best for the nation," he said.
Villanueva said the solution to this problem is to "legitimize the illegitimate presidency and the only way is to give the Filipino people (the right) to exercise their authentic sovereign right in choosing their people through genuine democratic snap elections with guaranteed credibility."
When asked if Mrs. Arroyo could still run in the elections, Villanueva said: "She can, as long as the Filipino people can exercise their sovereign right to choose their leaders according to their conscience, not according to election operators and manipulators."
Villanueva visited Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran at the Philippine National Police General Hospital, where the left-leaning lawmaker has been confined since his arrest last Feb. 25 for allegedly being part of coup plot against Mrs. Arroyo.
"We are here to pray for this old man, congressman Crispin Beltran … being an old man and elected by the people and also suffering from hypertensive condition," said Villanueva, who brought a basket of fruits to the detained lawmaker.
At the same time, he also appealed for the government to release Beltran, who was apprehended during the state of emergency declared by Mrs. Arroyo to address threats to her administration.
Villanueva said he agreed with Vice President Noli de Castro that it was "high time or long overdue for (Mrs.) Arroyo to resolve the ‘Garci’ tape issue once and for all."
The "Garci" tapes purportedly document Mrs. Arroyo and an elections official, widely believed to be erstwhile commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, discussing a plot to rig the 2004 elections in her favor.
"So I think that is the consensus of the Filipino people today, that once and for all, we resolve the issue. At nang sa ganoon ay patungo na tayo sa tamang landas ng (So that we will be on the path towards) normalization," Villanueva said.
On the other hand, Malacañang officials said yesterday any talk of a military junta is "insulting" to a great majority of soldiers and freedom-loving Filipinos, even as they renewed their call to opposition leaders to spare the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from politics.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, in separate statements, also belied reports that Mrs. Arroyo had only clung to power because of the military’s support. — With Paolo Romero