The Senate, acting as a committee of the whole, postponed on Thursrday its 10th public hearing on the ethics complaint against Senator Manuel Villar supposedly because 85-year-old Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile had the colds although he was present at Thursday’s plenary session.

The 10th hearing was scheduled to include an inspection of the controversial C-5 road project whose P400-million funding, realignment and implementation had allegedly benefited the Villars’ real estate business.

Since Monday, Senate plenary sessions had been presided over by Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.

Enrile had told Senate reporters that he had colds following an out-of-town trip last weekend but last Wednesday that he would lead the inspection of the C-5 road project with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials and engineers.