Villar’s daughter-in-law in DOJ denies taking advantage of water concession review

Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar on Thursday denied allegations that she advanced family interests in the water concession review that was conducted by the Department of Justice.

“First of all, I did not lead the review. It was the Secretary [Menardo Guevarra] who led the review,” Villar said in an ambush interview in Manila.

A former congresswoman, Villar is the wife of Public Works and Highways chief Mark Villar, the daughter-in-law of Senator Cynthia Villar and businessman Manny Villar.

“Prior to that review there were already several provisions that were identified as being onerous and that was reported in broadsheets, in news, and that was why the President asked the Department of Justice to conduct a more thorough review,” she added.

Villar was appointed undersecretary for legal services of the DOJ last year.

An article from Politiko alleged that there had been conflict of interest as she supposedly heads the DOJ’s review of contracts with Manila Water and Maynilad.

The Villar family owns the growing water utility PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation. It is headed by Senator Villar's eldest son Manuel Paolo Villar.

Undersecretary Villar maintained that the DOJ conducted a “disinterested” review of the concession agreements which were found disadvantageous to the government as these prohibit government interference in rate-setting and contain a provision for indemnity in case of such an interference.

Asked whether she had been consulted in the said review, the undersecretary answered: “It was the legal staff whom the Secretary works with.”

Guevarra also said that the scrutiny has been done without any vested interest.

“It doesn’t really matter kung si Usec. Villar ba ay na-involve or not, it doesn’t really matter because any lawyer will see ‘yung mga provision na ‘yan that we believe are onerous so walang koneksyon ‘yun,” Guevarra told reporters.

“Remember, I’m the one on top in whole of this kaya wala namang pwedeng makialam niyan na parang di ko makikita o papayagan ko. Definitely not,” he added. — BM, GMA News