“Salita sila nang salita wala naman nagawa. Gusto nila ng debate. Kung gusto nila, suntukan nalang kami,” Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said.

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago challenged all the critics of Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Manny Villar Jr. to a fistfight during the party’s grand rally at the North Reclamation Area here Sunday night.

“Salita sila nang salita wala naman nagawa. Gusto nila ng debate. Kung gusto nila, suntukan nalang kami,” Defensor-Santiago said during the star-studded grand rally. (“They keep on talking but failed to accomplish something. They want debate, if they wish I challenge them to a fistfight.”)

With the crowd chanting her name, Defensor-Santiago, who is an NP guest candidate, lashed out at critics of Villar, especially those who have been raising foul issues and those challenging the presidential bet to a one-on-one debate.

The rally was attended by vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda, senatorial bets former Rep. Gilbert Remulla, Adel Tamano, Senator Pia Cayetano, Ramon Mitra, Rep. Liza Maza, Rep. Satur Ocampo, Susan Ople, Gwen Pimentel, Martin Querubin (who represented his father detained Col. Ariel Querubin), and Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Santiago told Cebuanos that Cebu will surely become the center of trade and commerce if Villar gets elected as president. Villar, in an earlier interview, said poverty is still rampant in Cebu and he plans to bring in his anti-poverty program here.

On Saturday, Villar detoured from his busy three-day campaign schedule here to drop by the Archbishop Palace for the blessing of Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

Villar, who was joined in by the senatorial candidates under his party, arrived at the Palace past 11 a.m. and had a closed-door talk with Vidal that lasted for about 10 minutes.

“I asked for his blessings in our campaign. I also asked that he pray for us and our senatorial candidates,” said Villar, saying his visit was merely to ask for the cardinal’s blessing and not for his endorsement.

Villar said Cardinal Vidal is a highly-respected church authority whose endorsement could spell a lot for a candidate but the senator said he did not ask for endorsement and was merely visiting the cardinal, whom he described as a good friend.

“The cardinal wants me to take care of my health and he said he will pray for me in my campaign. Alam naman natin na ang Diyos ang magdedesisyon kung sino ang mananalo sa kampanyang ito kaya importante ang prayers,” Villar said. (“We know that it’s God who will decide on who will the elections that’s why prayers are very important.”)