Bro. Mike sees no anomaly in road project

MANILA, Philippines - El Shaddai leader Mariano "Mike" Velarde on Monday disputed claims that the government’s acquisition of the right-of-way over his Parañaque property for the C-5 road extension project was anomalous. Velarde told GMA News that his property was not sold but was acquired by the government through judicial expropriation. "It is now in the court because I contested the price in court," he said. “They filed expropriation proceedings against my property in court… but since the project is being rushed, the court suggested that I accept the initial payment offered by the government." Velarde added that his property in Parañaque had a high market value. He said he has been in the property development business even before the El Shaddai movement was founded. Velarde was dragged into the road scandal following reports that his firm, Amvel Land Corp., obtained a windfall from the C-5 road extension project. About P100 million was allocated for right-of-way acquisitions. On Sunday, opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson said Velarde is not off the hook in the P200-million "road to nowhere" mess that the Senate plans to investigate. Lacson exposed the suspicious budget entries last week. He said the 2.1-kilometer C-5 road extension project, which would connect the Coastal Road in Parañaque to the Northern Luzon Expressway, was twice allocated P200 million in the 2008 budget. Lacson said it was listed as two separate projects. Lacson noted that Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby" Madrigal filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the scandal. Despite these developments, Velarde said he is not harboring any grudge against Lacson. "Hindi sumama ang loob sapagkat una malinis ang konsiyensa ko. Nadamay lang ako pero ang target talaga nila si Manny Villar," Velarde said. Velarde even joked that the exposé may be related to rumors that he is eyeing for a political office in the 2010 elections. “Baka inisip nila pwedeng mag team-up si Villar at si Velarde. Pag pinag-dikit mo yan Villar-Villar may … ‘W’ di ba? Velarde-Villar is a winning team," Velarde quipped. "That’s not impossible it can happen…Why not?" Velarde added. “But I am not interested (to run in 2010)." Velarde also assured that in the 2010 elections they would endorse only one presidential candidate and that the El Shaddai movement would vote as a bloc. "This time I think we will be voting as a bloc. It's time that really we should unite and get the better choice," Velarde said. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV