WikiLeaks: Villar had low regard for Loren

MANILA, Philippines -  Sen. Manuel Villar had low regard for his running mate, Sen. Loren Legarda, but learned to live with this during the election campaign last year, according to a US embassy cable released by whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

The cable, dated Nov. 3, 2009 and marked “Confidential,” was allegedly written and sent by then US Ambassador to Manila Kristie Kenney to Washington a few days after a private breakfast with Villar.

Kenney reportedly said Villar criticized the other candidates and described them as “inexperienced, beholden to hidden campaign financiers, or simply phony.”

The cable said Villar dropped then Vice President Noli de Castro as running mate, “because his association with President Arroyo would be detrimental.”

“That left Senator Loren Legarda, whom he did not hold in terribly high regard and whose signature issue – the environment – did not really resonate with voters, but whom many Filipinos consider ‘pretty’ so Villar thought he could ‘learn to live with her’ as a running mate,” the cable said.

“Taken aback by the emergence of Senator Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino as a viable competitor, Villar said he had regrouped and would stress that Filipinos should not vote for a candidate based on heritage – a jab at Aquino – but look for business and political accomplishments, which favor Villar’s background as a real estate developer and former head of both houses of Congress,” Kenney stated in the cable.

Though Villar has made clear his intention to seek the presidency for the past two years, he reportedly told Kenney that he had a shock in August when he saw the outpouring of emotion over the death of former President Corazon Aquino that propelled her son, Senator Aquino, to the forefront of presidential contenders in a matter of weeks.

“Villar said his worry over the sudden change of events – and his fear that perhaps Senator Aquino would be seen as the favorite of the US in the election given his mother’s legacy, despite the USG’s clearly stated position that it has no favorites in the Philippine election – led him to travel to Washington, D.C., early this fall to sound out US politicians and observers in the company of political ally (then) Senator Aquilino Pimentel,” the cable said.

Villar told Kenney he came away reassured from his meetings on the Hill and the State Department that the US government remained neutral in the election.

On the other hand, Villar and Legarda dismissed the WikiLeaks report.

Villar did not dispute the report but was quick to point out that he was able to work with Legarda during the campaign.

Villar admitted not knowing Legarda personally. “But during the presidential campaign (last year) I got to know her more… I trusted her and I admire Senator Loren,” Villar said.

“But you have to understand, when we started we were not even that close,” he added.

Saying that the past election is behind him now, Villar said he respects the opinion made by the former US ambassador who was quoted in a WikiLeaks report as writing her impression of Villar when they met at a private breakfast on Oct. 28.

“If that is their opinion, I cannot change it,” he said.

Legarda, for her part, said she thinks that Villar’s impression of her changed during the campaign.

“Of course, if you do not know a person, you don’t have much to say about a person,” she said.

Legarda said Villar “regards me highly” after the elections.

Rather than dignifying the WikiLeaks report, Legarda said she wants to save her time, energy and resources for other important matters.

“It is what it is. It’s WikiLeaks. We respect the report but… it doesn’t consume me, it doesn’t really concern me,” she said.

“Those are reports of the posts. Our posts also have reports of what is happening in their home country, so they are entitled to their own opinion and their opinions do not necessarily have to be favorable to anybody. That’s okay… that’s their opinion. It may be a different perspective from us. I respect that,” she said.

In the cable, Villar reportedly dismissed Sen. Francis Escudero and then Vice President Noli de Castro as possible running mates in the 2010 elections.

The cable said Villar dismissed Escudero because “his staff did not gel with (him).”

Villar officially announced his tandem with Legarda on Nov. 17, 2009, more than two weeks after his reported meeting with Kenney.

Villar and Legarda both lost in the May 2010 elections, won by President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay. – With Christina Mendez