Dear reader,
We send this to you as we find this a succinct explainer to the C5/Villar ethics controversy, which in all its complexity is truly difficult to understand. We hope this article by Mareng Winnie in her column on the PDI will help you understand the C5 issue and charges, and shed light on why the Enrile Report found Sen Villar guilty on ethics charges.
Let us be educated, our opinions informed, and our votes wise. Let us be a society engaged in the issues that affect the world around us, the issues that affect you and me as Filipinos and citizens of this country.
Thank you,
Nina Sanchez
Manny Villar blameless?
By Solita Collas-Monsod
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01/30/2010
WHILE the Senate is declaring a moratorium on the discussion of the ethics case against Sen. Manny Villar, here are some incontrovertible facts, presented in Q & A form. The source of the information is also given.
- Question: What roadway projects are the subject matter of the Villar ethics controversy?
Answer:- The Manila Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP), the original C-5 south extension project, linking SLEX with the Coastal Road;
- the DPWH C-5 Extension project (CX-5), which together with
- the Las Piñas-Parañaque Link Project (LPPLP), also links SLEX with the Coastal Road. Source: Senate Report (SR) 780.
- Q: Is the CX-5/LPPLP project a realignment, as Sen. Jamby Madrigal describes it, or has there been no realignment, as Senator Villar’s allies insist?A: Technically there has been no realignment, because these are two separate roads linking C-5 from SLEX to the Coastal Road. But they are very close together and, in some areas, overlap, as can be ascertained from a site map.
Source: interactive map available at www.gmanews.tv: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/182541/the-c5-extension-controversy-an-interactive-map - Q: Are there any differences between the MCTEP and the CX-5/LPPLP?A: Yes.
- The MCTEP is a joint-venture project between the government and a private Malaysian partner, with the government’s financial exposure limited to P2.68 billion for the purchase of the road right-of-way; the private partner is responsible for the construction of the project, for which tolls will be charged. The CX-5/LPPLP is a toll-free, wholly-financed government project costing P6.96 billion;
- The CX-5/LPPLP is longer than the MCTEP, its extra length essentially covering the LPPLP portion;
- The CX-5/LPPLP passes through more Villar properties than the MCTEP.Source: DPWH project documents cited as Exhibits A, B and TTTT in SR 780; site map from www.gmanews.tv.
- Q: How large are the Villar company landholdings in the immediate vicinity of the questioned road projects?A: At least 50-52 hectares: 40 hectares in the vicinity of the LPPLP; 10-12 hectares in the area between Sucat Road and Multinational Avenue.
Source: testimony of Anastacio Adriano Jr., senior vice president and general manager, chief operating officer of Adelfa Properties Inc. and other Villar-owned companies up to 2008; self-styled consultant and political officer of Senator Villar since August 2008. Nota bene: Senate employment records do not include his name.
Nota bene: it is not clear whether the 50-52 hectares mentioned above include properties cited in SR 780—roughly 10 hectares in area—to be developed by Villar companies in joint venture with their owners.
- Q: What is the involvement of Villar in CX-5 and LPPLP? A:
- The Project Feasibility Study of the DPWH for CX-5 states: “The conceptualization of and the initial release of funds for the CX-5 Project was initiated by Sen. Manuel Villar whose same efforts also paved the way for the funding of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Link Road [LPPLP]”;
- Various insertions and amendments (Priority Development Assistance Fund, read pork barrel) in the national government budget over the years 2002-2008 for CX-5 and LPPLP;
- Adriano (cited above), in the office of and presence of Villar, dictating to the director general of the Senate’s Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) Villar’s proposed amendments to the 2008 budget, including a P400-million appropriation for the CX-5.
Source: documents submitted by DPWH, lawyer Yolanda Doblon of the LBRMO, testimony of both Doblon and Adriano, cited in SR 780.
- Q: Were the Villar properties bought for road right-of-way overpriced?
A: SR 780 argues for the affirmative; PSR 1472 (the resolution signed by Villar and his allies exonerating him from all charges) argues for the negative. This calls for a conclusion of the reader.And to help that along, I have—based on the documented prices and acreage of the lands purchased in connection with the LPPLP—computed the weighted average prices that were paid for the Villar and related properties, and those paid for the non-Villar properties.
The results: The Villar/related properties, comprising 23,455 square meters, were bought for P168.1 million. The non-Villar properties, comprising 11,685 square meters, were bought for P22 million. That comes to a weighted average of P7,168 per square meter for Villar’s properties, and P1,880 per square meter for the non-Villar properties. That has to be a statistically significant difference.
Given the above facts—which no one can contest, since they are based on official documents, and not on a he-says-she-says set of assertions—it has to be reasonable to conclude:
- Since there was already an ongoing project (the MCTEP) linking C-5 to the Coastal Road, it was totally unnecessary to build a second one.
- Which means that there was a waste of scarce resources. Instead of using only P2.6 billion of government funds for the first project, the government had to spend an additional P6.9 billion for the second, which practically duplicated the first, except for the additional length which happily for Senator Villar, traversed his properties.
- This unnecessary, wasteful project was certainly Villar’s idea. It is specious to argue that it is a DPWH project. As the DPWH feasibility study states (in black and white), both the CX-5 and the LPPLP were conceived and initially funded by Villar.
- Villar benefited tremendously from the second project. Certainly, his companies were paid significantly more per square meter for the road right of way (which were mostly bought from him). But that pales into insignificance compared with the tremendous increase in the values of his real estate holdings in the area—at least 50-52 hectares.
Is he blameless? Is the Pope protestant? ###
**This article taken in its entirety and reformatted but not edited, from The Philippine Daily Inquirer: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100130-250236/Manny-Villar-blameless**
President Noynoy! Bigyang pansin ninyo po ang mga buwaya sa LTO dito sa Biñan Laguna.
Sir Batalliones agree ako sa ‘yo!
Katakot-takot na pangungurakot nasaksihan namin ng friend ko ng kumuha kami ng lisensya sa LTO. Hindi ako makapaniwala na lampas P2,500 nagastos ng mga nagpa-fixers!
Kami naman ng friend ko bagsak sa written exam na sobrang napakadali naman sagutin! College level naman po kami. Siguro po nabobobo na kami.
Tama! Pagbabago para sa ikakaunland ng bayan. Lahat makikinabang hindi lng mahirap kundi pati na mayayaman. Katarungan para sa mga inaapi, hustiya sa mga pinatay at kulungan sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno na walang awa sa pangungurakot!
Noy, presidente at pag-asa ka namin! Panahon na ng pagbabago! H;wag ka pumayag na magkaroon ng mga walang kuwentang casuals ang ating mga city halls. Dapat ang mga empleyado productive lahat walang nangunguyakoy!
Mabuhay ang Liberal Party at ang ating maging presidente!
There are people who are really crooked by nature. They are unfair, clever and intelligent in doing dirty works unseen. There are also crooked people who does their works in broad daylight as if they wanted all to see that “they could do anything.”
“Meron talaga loko loko na mga tao. Meron mabait at mahinahon. H’wag tayo maniwala na walang corruption na nangyayari – MERON! Kaya kelangan natin totoong pagbabago. Kelangan natin ng leader na may say sa pagbabago!”
come on. lahat ng pulitiko sa pilipinas, nangangako na hindi sila magnanakaw. at halos lahat din, inaakusahan ang ibang pulitiko na magnanakaw. parang ganito: “hindi ako corrupt, yung iba ang corrupt.” lahat na pulitiko ganyan ang gustong sabihin. eh kapag sinabi mong corrupt ka o kaya magnanakaw ka, e di walang boboto sayo, tama? motherhood statement lang yan e, parang generic.
so ano ba ang basis nyo para paniwalaan sila? bago ako maniwala sa mga ganyang salita, tinitingnan ko muna ang mga ginawa at mga hindi ginawa ng tao.
ano ba’ng ginawa ni noynoy? parang nagbutas yan ng upuan sa kongreso (9 years) at senado (3 years) e. 12 years as legislator – ni isang batas WALA siyang nagawa. those are 12 BIG YEARS – 4 LONG TERMS! Paano ang presidency? only 6 years – only 1 term, di ba? how can he be a good leader when he was not able fulfill the basic obligation required from a legislator?
lagi nyo nalang pinamumukha na walang nagawa si Noynoy.. Pag naging presidente na yan sigurado may magagawa na..
Please people, we should not be blind and deaf to all the issues here. I admit that i’m supporting Villiar but after reading this article, i’m now reconsidering. It is very clear, clear as a bordless HD TV that Villiar had taken credit in this project. Please people, lets be fair. We know already Villiar’s way of thinking so please, reconsider. I’m happy that i read this article before the election., tnx…
Leadership and Management are two nearly distinct skill sets but people tend to mix these, understandably, because of several areas of overlap. For leadership, I personally would value INTEGRITY, VISION and COURAGE. For management, Multi-Disciplinary Training and Experience (this includes education), Intelligence (natural and acquired)and Discipline.
If I were to classify the current set of presidential aspirants, using my preferred Leadership and Management character traits and skills, I would class Noynoy as Leader material – mainly for the ethical and moral upbringing the Aquinos have given their children, and the evidence we see. I would class Villar, Gordon (and Fernando) as Manager material – for the very competent management of their public and private businesses. Estarda is probably also a good manager – but for alimited scope only – as in local governance. Teodoro is potentially a good manager – if he can really get over his bar topnotcher hang-up. But I doubt his leadership qualities – he has made a poor choice in his allegiance. I doubt that his true loyalty is for the country.
The Good Man should lead, the Competent Men should help in the management of the complex business of governance.
hi, Ian!
I thought Sen. Villar was just a victim of bad politics when he was dragged into this c5 mess. But upon reading the above article and hearing Prof Monsod on tv explaining the facts behind this intramural, i am enlightened. Please read the above article with objectivity and open mind. Me and my family are also divided between Sen Aquino and Sen. Villar but given these facts, i am hoping that all of us will now be united for Noynoy.
I once heared a co-worker saying he won’t vote for Noynoy because he is not his own person but what is wrong with using the good names of his parents? isn’t it that we must be proud of the heroism of his father and the many sacrifices of his mother? and also his siblings? Come on Ian, who among the presidentiables has the courage to tell us bluntly: “hind ako magnanakaw!” kahit wala pang nagawa si Noynoy with that promise, kahit na wala pa syang alam sa gobyerno, IBOBOT KO SYA NG MASAYA SA AKING PUSO…. hindi lamang na wala na lang mapili- but deep in my heart I know God has once again answered the prayers of the faithful to give us once again a true leader, a leader that we can be proud of….. God bless you Ian and your family….. and may God bless our country!
sincerely yours,
tess ragudo
Action is important for me. i hate people who always speak and speak but nothing has been done. Villar is a man of action and that is already proven. Noynoy, i agree that he did nothing wrong, BUT it’s also important to note that he did NOTHING at all! will u vote for some who wasn’t able to pass any senate bill or to someone whose credibility has been tested through time. C5 is a political issue only to attack a person who is honest and always been true to the Filipino people. tayong mga Pilipino, mahilig tayong ibagsak ang mga nagtatagumpay sa buhay! bakit ba d na lang tayo maging masaya n ang kababyan natin ay nagtagumpay dahil sa kanyang sariling sikap! wag na tayong magbangayan bagkus ay magtulungan na lang…. GOD bless us all!
So Ian tell me anong nagawa ni Villar during his term as a speaker and senate president. Sa totoo lang hindi na natin kailangan ng bills dahil marami na yan , ang kailangan e bantayan kung ipinapatupad at erevised kung nararapat. Honest and true ikamo e bakit ayaw magpa interpolate? Si Cayetano,Joker at Pimentel ang pinapasagot. Wala syang pagkakaiba sa “I am sorry” ni Gloria.
Thanks for sharing Ian. =) Yes, action is important but we must ensure that it is honest, well-meant action. For instance, stealing from the poor people is more action-oriented than speaking but stealing cannot simply be justified.
It is good that you’ve brought up the matter of what Senator Noynoy has done through his work in the Senate. Let me share with you an excerpt from a speech given by Senator Noynoy himself to the Makati Business Club last January 21st:
[Keynote speech delivered by Sen. Benigno S. Aquino III during the January 21, 2010 general membership meeting of the Makati Business Club]:
“I have always believed that the job of an effective legislator goes beyond merely proposing laws, for what are laws but written agreements entered into by members of society on how to harmonize their mutual relations?
In fact, I do not believe that we suffer from the problem of too few laws. One of my proposed measures was the re-codification of laws, in response to an appeal from the legal community to put some order into our laws, their amendments and those that have been repealed, because even our lawyers are at times confused.
Consider the recent controversy over who gets to appoint the next Chief Justice. We maintain that there are no ifs and buts in Article 7 Section 15 of the Constitution where it states that the current President cannot appoint anybody within 2 months prior to a presidential election up to the end of her term. An exemption exists, but it applies only for positions in the Executive Department. Yet you have two retired justices arguing exactly the opposite. How can former justices of the Supreme Court be so seemingly confused, when the fact is that the provision regarding presidential appointments is stated clearly in the law?
Our problem is the lack of political will to faithfully implement the many world-class laws that our legislature has passed. A preference for ambiguity even when times call for clarity, leads to artificial controversies. Insecure or overly ambitious leaders need to create a climate of doubt, because it’s in the grey areas that its ambitions thrive.
It is in addressing this problem that I focused on the fiscalizing aspect of a legislator’s job – on Congress’ oversight and investigative functions. “
Attack a person? The C5 issue has been an issue way before the election… eh ang HLI… kailan nilabas… ah nagyon lang election… ngayon lang dahil tatakbo si Noynoy..
I hope you realize that we need a trustworthy leader!