Villar wife to run for Congress

Former Speaker and senatorial aspirant Manuel Villar’s wife is bidding to "inherit" his Las Piñas congressional seat this coming May 14 elections in what appears to be a three-cornered fight.

Cynthia Villar, ertswhile chairperson of the Congressional Spouses Foundation (CSF), said she is confident that Las Piñas residents will give her the mandate to serve them.

She will be facing Tropang Pinoy host and University of Perpetual Help owner Antonio "Tony" Tamayo and Emilio Aguinaldo grandson and businessman Rey Aguinaldo Patacsil.

Villar, sister of Las Piñas Mayor Vergel "Nene" Aguilar, will run under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP People’s Power Coalition party.

Tamayo, who had served as vice mayor for one term but lost his reelection bid in 1998 to Vice Mayor Louie Bustamante, will run under under the Liberal Party while Patacsil will run under the Nationalist People’s Coalition banner.

"I am confident that the people of Las Piñas are happy with my husband’s programs during his three terms which I now want to continue," Villar said.

Villar had embarked on many socio-civic projects during her stint will the CSF.

She shrugged off charges that her family has built a political dynasty that has monopolized power in the city.

"Las Piñeros have consistently been happy with accomplishments of the Aguilar public servants and that is why they keep on voting us," Villar said. Las Piñas has consistently bagged awards for cleanliness and environmental awareness in recent years.

Villar’s father, the late Don Filemon Aguilar, had served as mayor for 26 years of Las Piñas when it was still a municipality of Muntinlupa.

Her sister, civic leader and philantropist Eliabeth "Ate Bess" Masangkay, is running for the second time for the mayoralty race in Muntinlupa. She lost in her first bid for the post in 1998 to incumbent Mayor Jaime Fresnedi.

Patacsil, for his part, charged that the Aguilars had not done a good job in ruling the city.

"They had only successfully made it appear that all is well in the city but I believe the people of Las Piñas know better and will reject them in this coming elections," Patacsil said.

Patacsil revealed that Las Piñeros, particularly those in the depressed areas, were angry with former Speaker Villar for his role in the anti-Erap movement and his railroading of the Articles of Impeachment which was sent to the Senate on Nov. 13 last year.

Patacsil claimed that illegal drug activities are also rampant in Las Piñas because of the failure of police and local officials, particularly Mayor Aguilar, to control it.

"It’s known in the city that the drug problem is getting worse. But the mayor, Villar’s brother, seems to coddle the city police’s inaction," Patacsil said.