Curita “Bamba” Villar, Sen. Manuel Villar, Jr.'s mother, wept before members of the media Monday while defending her son against black propaganda and claims he did not come from a poor family.

"Nanay Curing,” as she’s fondly called by her children, was emotional at a press conference held at her residence at Block 5, Lot 108, Abel Nosce St., Vista Grande, BF Resort, Las Piñas.

A very emotional Mrs. Villar said she is very hurt over the allegations thrown her son's way in his bid to win the presidency.

“Akala niyo ba di ako nasasaktan dun sa mga sinasabi sa anak ko? Halos ikamatay ko na!” Villar’s 87-year-old mother said hysterically. (“Don't you think I am not hurt over what they've been saying against him? I nearly died.”)

“Umiiyak na lang ako. Masama ang loob ko kasi talaga naman kami’y walang magagawa, e. Sasagot pa ba ako? E, di tutulo na lang ang luha ko,” she said. (“I just cry. I am hurt but I can't do anything. Do I have to answer them? I just cry.”)

The wheelchair-bound Mrs. Villar, who is suffering from glaucoma and a fracture she got from an accident five years ago, faced the media and called on critics to stop the mudslinging which she said hurts her as much as it hurts Villar.

“Anu gusto ‘nyo malaman sa anak ko? Galing kami sa mahirap. Kung ayaw nyo maniwala pumunta kayo sa Divisoria market. Tanungin nyo ang pwesto naming – #2245,” Villar's mother said.

She recalled the hardships she and Villar, her constant companion, had to face in the past when she was still a shrimp vendor in Divisoria.

When asked why she agreed to an interview, Nanay Curing said, “Kasi aping-api na ang anak ko.” (“My son is oppressed.”)

“Kasi nababasa sa dyaryo, eh. Nasasaktan din mga kapatid niya. Minsan kinuwento sa akin, nasasaktan din naman ang mga kapatid nya,” she said. (“Because it is in the papers. His siblings are hurting. They told me once that they are hurt.”)

“Diyos ko kayo na lang po ang bahala... Ang sabi nila, ayaw daw nilang maniniwala kay Manny. Kahit ano raw sabihin ni Manny ayaw daw nilang paniniwalaan. Akala yata nila nagsasalbahe. Kaya lang... mahal na birhen, ikaw na ang tumestigo sa aking mga anak... kayo na po ang magtanggol sa anak ko. Kaawawa naman po siya. Nagtiis na nga po ako ng hirap, naapi na ako sa palengke. Pati ba naman ang anak ko? Pati ba naman ang anak ko? Naapi pa ngayon,” Mrs. Villar said.

At this point, her two daughters, Lourdes Divinagracia and Baby Benedicto, tried to stop Nanay Curing from speaking when she cried uncontrollably.

When a reporter asked of the possible backlash the press conference could bring to Villar's campaign, Benedicto made an outburst.

“That's below the belt. Eh, sila nga eh, patay na kanyang ina, sinasama pa. Grabe sila, tanungin nila kami. Ang nanay namin 86 years old. Alam na alam niya ang pinagmulan niya, mahirap kami, eh,” Benedicto said.

“Sino ba hindi gumamit sa ina? Buti nga nanay ko nakapagtanggol pa sa kapatid ko,” she ranted.

“Bigyan niyo naman ng tsansa kapatid ko. Alamin niyo naman ang katotohanan bago kayo magsalita,” she said.

Benedicto further lamented that the presidential race has become personal instead of focusing on accomplishments and track records.

Ethics raps mulled against Villar
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile vowed that should he win in May 10 polls, he will pursue a case against Villar in the Senate Ethics Committee concerning an alleged stock manipulation.

“I will file a case in the (Senate) Ethics Committee because this is an ethical issue,” he said, explaining that the public listing anomaly involving Villar's Vista Land and Lifescapes (VLL) is not a legal one.

“It is an issue of propriety, ethics, delicadeza, and moral rectitude. It goes into the character of the man, who is coveting the highest position in the land,” he added.

“If he (Villar) wins (presidency), then so be it, I'm used to fighting presidents anyway. One more will not make any difference. I will do that even if I fiscalize it alone,” he vowed.

Enrile explained that the case he is mulling to file in the Senate immediately after the elections will be in aid of legislation to address the flaws he sees in the Securities Act, a law governing stock exchange and the investing public.

He alleged that the act needs to be revisited considering it allegedly contains faulty provisions that tolerates big investors to become Bernard Madoff, a stock investor accused of getting into anomalous deals.

Enrile also dared PSE director Vivien Yunchengco to declare that the documents he has, including the minutes of the PSE caucus meeting where Villar allegedly gate-crashed in 2007, were fake.

Should they fail to produce other version of the minutes, Enrile said he will file falsification of commercial documents against Yuchengco and other PSE officials.

Villar not telling the truth – Erap
Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada, on the other hand, called Villar “one big liar” in reaction to his rival's statement for “bomb-steering” an exposé about the alleged public anomaly listing of VLL.

“We did not bomb steer the story like what Mr. Villar said... We have documented evidence in our attempts to flush out the truth about this man who wants to be the President of the Philippines,” Estrada told a press briefing in Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong Moday.

Justifying his earlier accusations, Estrada noted that Villar even became “a victim of his own 'kuryente'” when he issued “three versions of what really transpired after he went to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) in doing his bidding.”

Estrada, who himself was earlier accused of using his influence as then president to a similar stock manipulation scandal to benefit Best World (BW) Gaming and Resources during his term, said Villar is taking the entire nation for a ride as he continues to refuse facing the issue head-on.

The former president, who was ousted in 2001, emphasized that Villar's biggest lie was when he denied of ever applying pressure on PSE, which granted his request of lifting the lock-up rule to include almost 30 percent of his shares of stock to public listing in 2007.

He added that Villar also lied about meeting with PSE officials a few days after VLL was allowed to list its 2.1 billion shares in the stock market after, which gained multi-billions after “overpricing its actual amount.”

“Villar also lied when he did not disclose in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities in 2001 and 2008 the P5 to P8 billion profit he and his wife made from the sale of their VLL stake,” Estrada said.

“You are aspiring for the highest position in the land. For once in your life, be man enough and face your accusers. I did when false charges were hurled against me. And I always will to maintain my good name. And when you do face your accusers, tell the truth,” he said.