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MANILA, Philippines – Administration senatorial bet Cynthia Villar was delighted by the endorsement of President Benigno Aquino III during the Team PNoy proclamation rally Tuesday night, February 12.
After talking about her slogan “Hanep Buhay,” the President shared how close he had been with the wife of Sen Manuel Villar Jr – his bitter rival in the 2010 presidential elections and president of the Nacionalista Party – when he was still a member of the House of Representatives.
“Bilang may bahay ng ating dating Speaker Manny Villar, noong ako po’y bagong Kongresista, tumayo po — huwag pong mamasamain—parang ina na rin po namin (As the wife of then Speaker Manny Villar, when I was a representative, she was – I hope she doesn’t take it as an offense – like a mother to many of us),” the President said before an audience in Plaza Miranda.
The President vouched for Cynthia’s integrity.
“Nag-aruga, naturo po sa amin, at masasabi ko ho sa inyo na kailanman, hindi po baluktot mag salita ang Cynthia Villar, maasahan ang kanyang salita (She took care of us. She taught us. I can say that Cynthia Villar was always true to her word. We can count on her word),” Aquino added.
Rappler was able to talk to Cynthia Villar after the proclamation rally. She said: Okay naman. Masaya. Natapos din. Maganda ang endorsement sa amin ng President at ang ating kasamang kandidato.”
Noynoy’s girlfriends
Cynthia Villar recalled in an earlier interview with Rappler that President Aquino and Senator Villar were close when they were both members of the House of Representatives. She admitted they were hurt by the attacks hurled against them during the 2010 campaign but they didn’t think that President Aquino was behind them.
Aquino served 3 terms as representative of Tarlac, from 1998 to 2007. He shared one term with then Speaker Manny Villar and two terms with then Las Piñas Rep Cynthia Villar.
“I think he was not the one who managed the campaign. Pero ganon talaga yun. It’s politics. We just have to accept it. We cannot continue blaming everybody,” she said.
“Both Manny and Noynoy are good persons. If you look at them up close. Maraming bad persons. But not Manny and Noynoy. Even Manny says that overall he is a good person. Politics yan e,” she said.
Noynoy’s girlfriends
When her husband was Speaker, Cynthia served as president of the Congressional Spouses. This was how she became a mother to Aquino.
“Noynoy didn’t have a congressional spouse pero may mga dealings din ako. Nakakausap ko yung mga girlfriends niya. That’s part of your job. Even if there’s no spouse, there’s a girlfriend,” Cynthia fondly recalls.
Asked if she remembered who was President Aquino’s girlfriend back then, a laughing Cythia teased: “Hindi ko na nga matandaan. Parang marami.” (I can’t seem to remember. I think he had many.)
“I dealt with them. Some of them I met along the way. They introduced themselves as girlfriends of Noynoy. Of course as the wife of the Speaker, I took care of the girlfriend of Noynoy,” she added.
Villar also said, “close siya kay Manny.”
Back in 2010, who would have thought? – Rappler.com
More from Rappler’s 2013 Philippine elections coverage:
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