Senators also in Russia

MANILA, Philippines – From Russia, with love.

On the heels of a controversy-tainted visit of police officials, a group of lawmakers and their wives are also reportedly in Moscow. 

Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. and his wife Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar are now in Russia, along with three senators from the majority bloc.

Villar’s entourage included Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Lito Lapid, who were all scheduled to arrive in Moscow yesterday with their wives, as well as some staff members, sources from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The Russian sojourn followed the official trip of a select group of senators and congressmen to the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

Villar is still smarting from the political attacks prior to the congressional break last week. The trip was part of his family’s annual foreign vacation, although Villar’s party is reportedly scheduled to meet with his counterparts in Russia.

When Congress went on break last Oct. 8, Villar and nine senators left for abroad either as part of their official functions or on personal vacation trips.

The Senate president, the country’s richest politician, led the Philippine Senate delegation to the 119th Assembly from Oct. 13 to 15 in Geneva, where he discussed pressing international concerns with foreign parliamentarians.

But Villar’s foreign trips are not unusual because he and his family annually spend long vacations abroad, particularly during congressional breaks.

In recent years, Villar had also treated Nacionalista Party (NP) members with vacation packages. Of the senators who went with him to Russia, only Alan Cayetano is a member of the NP.

Last year, Villar’s group went on a tour of Greece. Forbes Magazine had listed Villar as the country’s richest politician, being the largest shareholder in the high-end homebuilder Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc.

He dropped out of the top 10 list from number five last year to number 11 this year after his net worth plunged 55 percent to P425 million.

The senators are expected to be back before Congress resumes on Nov. 9.

The Senate president shrugged off allegations hurled by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jamby Madrigal that there was a conflict of interest when he sought the inclusion of another P200 million for the C-5 Extension Road project.

The allocation was inserted in the 2008 budget, Lacson said.

Villar was joined in the IPU meet by Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Senators Pia Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan and Rodolfo Biazon, according to an official statement of the Office of the Senate President.

Carmen Arceno, director general, Senate Office of International Relations and Protocol, and lawyer Edwin Bellen, deputy secretary for legislation, was also part of the delegation.

Pimentel and Pia Cayetano left for Geneva last Oct. 9. 

Pia’s elder brother Alan Cayetano did not join the IPU meet. He reportedly went to Bangkok before meeting up with the Senate president in Russia.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri had also announced last week that he was going to Russia.

It was not confirmed if Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Madrigal pushed through with their separate vacations in Europe.