source: Mike Frialde - philtsar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Bagumbayan presidential bet Sen. Richard Gordon says he is more than ready and willing to face Sen. Manuel Villar, standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party, in a public debate.

Speaking to reporters in Taytay, Rizal, where he attended the Hamaka Festival last Saturday, Gordon said Villar has a lot of explaining to do regarding the controversies now hounding him.

“Si Villar ay panay kabig, walang tulak (Villar just takes, he never gives).If he is really sincere in helping the poor, he should have built more houses for them,” he said.

“I want to debate with Villar, even in Quiapo,” Gordon added.

However, Gordon said such forums should be sustained as they give voters the opportunity to be informed not only on the background and platform of candidates, but also on issues confronting them.

Gordon told reporters he bolted from the Nacionalista Party because he does not want to be associated with Villar.

After visiting Taytay, Gordon went through towns in Pangasinan last Sunday.

From Pangasinan, Gordon was scheduled to embark on a five-day campaign through Bataan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

Gordon said so far, presidential candidates have only been attending discussions sponsored by various groups and there has been no one-on-one debate among them yet.