Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. on Tuesday rejected allegations Malacañang is behind the series of defection of administration local officials to his slate.

On the contrary, Villar claimed, shifting of party allegiances is considered a “normal occurrence” during election period.

In a luncheon meeting with editors and staff of the Manila Bulletin, Villar said he believes the defection of local officials was caused mainly by local officials’ belief on his and his ticket’s winnability.

“Talagang mamimili ang mga local (officials) ng mga taong gusto nila. Taking everything into consideration (including) winnability, kilala ba nila itong kandidato…yun ang mga factors eh or kung ayaw nila yung kabila. (The local officials will indeed go for the candidate they want. Taking everything into consideration winnability or if they know this candidate. Those are the factors and also if they do not like the other party),” Villar explained.

There is, therefore, nothing surprising in the defection of Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri and former Cebu City mayor Alvin Garcia and former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson who is seeking to reclaim his position.

Garcia is a member of the Cebu’s local opposition party, Kusug. His father, Deputy House Speaker and Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia Sr. and another relative Governor Gwendolyn Garcia belong to One Cebu, which is the ruling party that is backing the presidential bid of administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro.

“It happens every election. It will happen now, it will happen six years from now, and unless it changes, it will happen in year 2022,” Villar said.

Villar brushed aside claims by the Liberal Party of a “Villarroyo” alliance, saying the camp of Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III should consider he was also a former House Speaker.

“Politically, it will happen. Sila naman kasi eh, maraming gustong sumama sa kanila, marami silang tinanggihan. (There were many local candidates who want to go with them that they rejected) To be fair, marami silang nakuha from the administration, pero mas marami kaming nakuha (they got many from the administration, but we exceeded them),” Villar said.

“They did not consider that I was a former House Speaker. So kahit paano may pinagsamahan kami ng mga iyan (Some of these officials, we go a long way),” he added.

In general, Villar said President Arroyo has nothing to do with the defection of administration members into his camp. He said the Liberal Party itself has to admit they are also wooing administration members to their fold but they got only minimal support.

“That is why they keep on inventing this alleged ‘Villarroyo’ alliance against me, saying I am a secret candidate of the Arroyo administration,” Villar said.

Villar also said his party will do everything to block President Arroyo from gaining the House speakership should he win as President.

Villar said his party aims to dominate the election for the next House speaker to prevent Mrs. Arroyo from once again rising into power.

Fears that Mrs. Arroyo, who is running for a congressional seat in the 2nd district of Pampanga, would be the next head of the House was floated earlier by major political parties wary and critical of the Arroyo administration as a rising number of administration party-list representatives seem to enter the electoral race.

Villar hinted that under his administration, he would see to it that his own party will “elect a speaker.”

“If you are a weak President, that I can say, she would become Speaker of the House,” Villar said.

“If I make it as president, I will be president and my party will elect a Speaker. I will dominate the (election for) Speaker. We may lose but we will make everything possible,” he added. (Hannah L. Torregoza)