Manny Villar honors former rival PNoy: A public servant with a vision for the Philippines

Real estate magnate and former Senator Manny Villar paid tribute to the late former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino and the legacy he left in Philippine politics.

Villar and Aquino were opponents during the 2010 presidential elections which Aquino won.

As he condoled with the former President's family and loved ones, Villar remembered Aquino's decency and civility in serving the public. He said they were rivals who eventually became allies because "differences can be set aside for the greater good."

"When I was still in public service, I always assumed that every one of my fellow servants in government and politicians had the interest of the nation at heart; that they entered politics and government to serve the people. That’s how I viewed Noynoy even as we engaged in a political battle for the presidency," Villar said.

"He was a public servant who had a vision for the country. My vision and my strategies differed from his but I did not question his desire to make our country better. Politics is an arena of competing ideas with the people as ultimate judges," he added.

Villar stressed that in the realm of politics, building bridges is a must instead of burning bridges.

"I do not see politics as an excuse to pummel a political opponent to the ground. I believe in reaching out and working together with others to achieve common goals," the former senator said.

Villar also recalled the time he paid Aquino's mother and icon of democracy former President Corazon Aquino his last respects when she died in 2009.

"Cory was no stranger to me. During my first campaign for a seat in the Senate in 2001, she helped me by inviting me to meet with her in churches in the different towns all over Luzon," Villar narrated.

"She was praying the rosary in all of these towns and she wanted me to join her. One of her paintings still hangs on the walls of my house," he added.

Villar also shared how his former rival expressed his sympathies when his mother died in January 2016.

"Perhaps because he knew how painful it was to lose a mother," he said.

As he also mourns the death of Aquino, Villar said that acts of civility are important in Philippine politics, "especially now when everyone seems to have attack dogs ready to pounce on political rivals when reasoned debate won’t work anymore."

He cited the gesture of President Rodrigo Duterte of urging Filipinos to set aside differences and mourn as a nation following Aquino's demise.

"These acts of civility are important to our political environment especially now when everyone seems to have attack dogs ready to pounce on political rivals when reasoned debate won’t work anymore," he said.

Villar stressed that Aquino's contributions to the country would be assessed by our people, not by bots and trolls.

"President Noynoy has done his tour of duty, both as president and as a person. Just like everyone else, and just like everything else in life, there have been triumphs and miscalculations," Villar said.

"His legacy as a public servant will be judged by history, not by political partisans," he added.

Aquino, 61, died in his sleep last June 24 due to renal failure secondary to diabetes. He was cremated the same day.

He was laid to rest on Saturday, June 26, at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque beside his parents. — DVM, GMA News