Standard-bearer of Bagumbayan Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon on Tuesday claimed that Nacionalista Party Presidential candidate Senator Manny Villar offered him to withdraw from presidential rate in exchange of reimbursing his campaign expenses from day 1 up to now.

“A week before the campaign, that was before the Senate adjourned, an influential person came to me and told me to abandon support to Senator Enrile in order to regain the senate presidency for Senator Villar. He told me: They were just awaiting your vote; that I will pay for all your expenses including those incurred during your campaign. If you withdraw from the race, I will give you any Cabinet position,” Gordon said in a radio interview.

Gordon also revealed that the emissary a asked him withdraw his signature from the report of the Senate committee of the whole recommending Villar’s censure in connection with the C-5 road extension issue.

He likewise observed that his statements distributed to the media were not beingbroadcast nor published and said that  Villar might had bought the media.

“It’s like there is a wall. I might as well say this on national radio. There’s a wall that blocks the things we want to say. There are those who are protecting Villar  in the media,” he stressed out.

The Bagumbayan presidential bet said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile knew about the incident and thanked him in support of his refusal to withdraw his candidacy.

Last January, Enrile revealed the alleged attempt of Villar to bribe him in connection with the Senate investigation of the C-5 road extension project controversy. Enrile said Villar supposedly made repeated offers to him for help with anything he needed like  support on the senate president’s re-election bid.

Despite his poor showing, the senator insists that  he will never back out from the May 2010 polls.

““If I withdraw, I can ask for any position in the government. It would be my choice. I am standing for election for the presidency of this country,” Gordon said.

- Jenny Villareal