BY CRIS G. ODRONIO Reporter

THE presidential candidates for the May 10 elections took turns hitting rival Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. during a presidential debate held Monday at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, where former President Joseph Estrada was a no-show.

Sen. Maria Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, who is running as an independent candidate,  fired the opening salvo against Villar without mentioning his name.

“The jingles, the use of children, the use of actors—where you have to pay P30 million just to endorse you—is an insult to the Filipino intelligence, that is why I have chosen to respect the law,” she said.

Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd of the Liberal Party, former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Sen. Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan, Nicanor Perlas (independent), Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas and Olongapo City councilor JC delos Reyes of Ang Kapatiran also showed up at the debate sponsored by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Madrigal also hit the NP’s bet for using children in his political ads, adding that she will not use the same strategy.

“My ads are just merely a reflection of my political platform and my principles,” she said.

Madrigal disclosed that she regretted using actress Judy Ann Santos as an endorser when she ran for senator in 2004.

‘Empty’ advertisements

De los Reyes said if he had the wealth of Villar, he would spend it in “noble” way, not on “empty” advertisements.

“Because the way a politician handles his money or his campaign style reflects the way he is,” he added.

He said the message that a leader should convey to the public should cover “principles and plaltforms, not empty messages that just say ‘Ako ang mahirap.”

Gordon also criticized candidates who project themselves for being pro-poor, obviously referring to Villar.

Villar defended himself when asked about his political ads.

“I am not an actor, and I never had a president for my mother. People like me who come from the poor should also be given the chance to lead,” he said in Filipino.

At the debate, Gordon also hit Aquino for his earlier statement in a previous forum that no new taxes would be imposed if he got elected.

In an interview after the debate, Aquino pointed out that if he won he would focus initially on how to capture a good part of the revenue leaks caused by smuggling and tax evasion.