Senator Villanueva thinks Bro. Eddie won’t run for president due to recent family tragedy

Senator Joel Villanueva on Saturday said he believes his father— evangelist and CIBAC partylist representative Brother Eddie Villanueva— will not gun for the presidency in the upcoming 2022 national and local elections due to the recent tragedy in their family.

The lawmaker’s statement came after the religious leader, who ran for president in the 2004 and 2010 national elections, was named by the opposition coalition 1Sambayan as one of its nominees for president and vice president in the upcoming polls.

“[I] can’t speak for my Dad but obviously we are not interested to embark on a journey to the Presidency [especially] after the tragedy that the family has gone through the past year,” the younger Villanueva said in a Viber message to reporters.

In March last year, Bro. Eddie Villanueva’s wife— Sister Dory— passed away.

Barely three months after Sister Dory’s death, Brother Eddie's daughter— Bocaue Mayor Eleanor “Joni” Villanueva— also passed away.

In a video message after the announcement of 1Sambayan’s nominees for the country’s top two posts, Brother Eddie said there was hope for the Philippines if Filipinos will unite and push for leadership that is based on integrity and morality.

"May malaking pagasa ang bayang Pilipinas kung tayo'y magkakaisa at itataguyod natin ang pamumunong nakabatay sa integridad at moralidad, kakayahan at karanasan, wasto at may prinsipyong pamumuno sa ating Inang Bayan," Villanueva said.

(The chances are good for the Philippines if we come together and support a leadership that is based on integrity and morality, ability and experience, righteous and principled leadership for our motherland.)

"Magagawa lang natin ito kung tayong lahat ay magkakaisa at magtutulong-tulong tungo sa muling pagbangon ng ating 1Sambayan," he added.

(We can accomplish this if we all come together and help each other towards a new awakening of our 1Sambayan.)

— DVM, GMA News