Nacionalista Party standard bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. has gained more popularity over other rivals in the presidential race in the popular social networking site Facebook.

With only five days left before election day, Villar was able to secure 1,355,197 fans.

His rival, Liberal party presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, has 1,349,864 fans.

“We thank the public for their continuing support for our candidate despite the vicious attacks being hurled at him,” the NP said in a statement.

“We are standing our ground and focusing our energy on solidifying our ground troops, which include supporters active in cyberspace. There’s no letting up especially now that we are in the homestretch,” it added.

The NP, at the same time, denied hacking Aquino’s Facebook Fan Page account which the LP camp claimed caused “missing” fans.

“No, definitely not our doing. We have no intention of stooping down to their level of campaign. It was Senator Villar who's been a consistent target of cyber attacks. Let us not forget that his Web site had been defaced at least three times recently by supporters of Aquino,” the NP said.

“They’re just making up excuses for their dwindling supporters. Is it not possible that some of our countrymen are finally becoming discerning? We know a lot of people are being turned off by Liberal Party’s negative campaigning and their principal’s presumptuous actuations. They should not be pointing fingers for their own doing,” it said.