MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manny Villar had a low regard for his running mate, fellow senator Loren Legarda, but accepted her as his vice-presidential bet because many Filipino voters thought she was pretty, a US embassy cable published by whistleblower group WikiLeaks alleges.

The cable, which was marked "Confidential", was allegedly written by then US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney on Nov. 3, 2009, a few days after a private breakfast between Kenney and Villar on October 28.  (http://www.wikileaks.org/cable/2009/11/09MANILA2290.html)

In the cable, Kenney said Villar had criticized his opponents as "inexperienced, beholden to hidden campaign financiers, or simply phony."

The Nacionalista Party standard-bearer also allegedly dismissed Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero and then Vice-President Noli de Castro as possible running mates in the election.

The cable said Villar dismissed Escudero because "his staff did not gel with [him]."

On the other hand, he also dropped de Castro as a possible running mate "because [his] association with President Arroyo would be detrimental."

"That left Senator Loren Legarda, whom he did not hold in terribly high regard and whose signature issue -- the environment -- did not really resonate with voters, but whom many Filipinos consider 'pretty' so Villar thought he could 'learn to live with her' as a running mate," the confidential cable revealed.

Villar officially announced his tandem with Legarda on Nov. 17, 2009, more than 2 weeks after his alleged meeting with Kenney.

Villar and Legarda both lost in the May 2010 elections, which were won by President Benigno Aquino III and Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

Villar sounded out US Capitol

The confidential cable revealed Villar was shocked by the emergence of Aquino as the frontrunner in the presidential election after the death of his mother, Cory, on August 1, 2009.

It said Villar was unprepared for the wave of popular support for Aquino that led to the decision of Sen. Manuel Roxas to abandon his presidential bid, and become Aquino's running-mate.

It said Villar's fear "that Aquino would be seen as the favorite of the US in the election given his mother's legacy, despite the USG's clearly stated position that it has no favorites in the Philippine election, led him to travel to Washington, DC early this fall to sound out US politicians and observers in the company of political ally Sen. Aquilino Pimentel."

Kenney said Villar "came away reassured from his meetings on the Hill and the State Department that the US government remained neutral in the election."

'A Funeral and 2 Weddings'

In the meeting, Kenney said Villar voiced rueful admiration at the public affairs savvy of the Aquino team.

He said Aquino used the outpouring of public affection for his mother as a springboard to a viable presidential bid.

He said the Liberal Party (LP) also extended its hold on the public imagination with the high profile wedding of Roxas with ABS-CBN correspondent Korina Sanchez. The wedding was televised live nationwide, featured on the front pages of Philippine dailies and featured a wide array of Philippine political and cultural icons.

Kenney said Villar laughingly predicted that the LP would soon find a way to engineer a similar high profile wedding for Aquino to gain more publicity.

"In a humorous play on a hit movie, he said the party's campaign strategy should be called 'A Funeral and Two Weddings,'" he said.

In the meeting, Villar cited his own rags-to-riches story -- from growing up poor to becoming one of the richest real estate developers in the country. He described himself as the "real thing" having been born to a poor family in Tondo compared to Joseph Estrada, who is popular among the poor in Tondo, but was born rich.

He also told Kenney that the presidency "is no place for on-the-job training", in a swipe against Aquino.

He also noted that he could finance his campaign compared to his less well-off opponents.

'Strong prospect for President'

The confidential cable revealed Kenney assessed Villar as a "strong prospect for President" due to his practical understanding of the mechanics of running a nationwide campaign.

The former US ambassador noted Villar "looked fit and relaxed, and projected a congenial and confident demeanor."

"Villar remains near the top of every presidential poll, and his combination of experience, financial resources and public affability are strengths for his campaign. Still his opponents and critics turn some of Villar's arguments back on him, charging that he has profited illegally from legislation he authored in the Senate, and that his vaunted experience has sometimes resulted in failure, as when he was ousted as Senate head, not to mention that he does not yet have a running mate," it said.