Senate majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said that with less than a week before Congress adjourns, the Senate would tackle pending bills on Monday and Tuesday first before resuming deliberations on the report.
Zubiri said he expects heated debates to resume Wednesday after which senators could shake hands to start their electoral campaign.
Congress adjourns sine die on February 5. Campaign period for the May 11 elections starts on February 9.
Senators exchanged harsh words Monday and Tuesday last week after Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile sponsored the 84-page report to the plenary.
Enrile alleged that Villar used his influence to realign the C-5 road extension project for the benefit of his and his family’s real estate business. The report further asked Villar to return to government some P6.22 billion which was supposedly spent on the realignment of the project.
Villar denied the accusations and said he is proud of the project which he claimed benefited residents of Las Piñas and Parañaque.
At least 16 signatures are needed to carry the report.
Zubiri asked his colleagues to refrain from using "unparliamentary remarks" because such could cast a negative light on the Senate.
Senators were criticized last week for their remarks deemed personal and inappropriate.
Sen. Loren Legarda, Villar’s running mate in the May polls, said she would "vote according to my conscience" if the senators present would put the issue to a vote. "I am prepared to vote according to my conscience, according to the evidence presented, according to what I think is right. The others should not use the party stand to judge other people," she said.
Legarda said there should be closure to the C-5 controversy and senators should make their stand very clear. "We should be fair to Sen. Villar. I cannot speak for him on this issue or what he wants to do. In December, he already spoke on the Senate floor on the C-5 issue and he does not want to go around explaining his side on the same issue over and over again. But I fear that his political rivals will try to raise the issue again and again," she said.
"He does not want to quarrel with other people and I share that thinking. I want to wage a positive campaign. Our focus today should not only be the campaign but rendering service to our people," she said.
Via: http://lorenlegarda.com.ph/news_108_Vote_on_Villar_set_on_Wednesday.php
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