MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Roxas II on Tuesday likened Sen. Manny Villar to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for using the usual line of "politicking" to dodge allegations of corruption.

"Ito ang linya ni GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) 'di ba? Lahat ng mga accusation ng anomalya kay GMA, ano ang sagot ni GMA? Politika lang. Hindi sinasagot ang issue (This is GMA's famous line. All accusations of corruption against GMA, what's her answer? It's all politics. She does not answer the issue directly)," Roxas said in an interview over radio dzMM.

He urged Villar to appear before the plenary session on Tuesday to personally refute the charges.

Roxas said that instead of facing the issue of "corruption" head on, Villar and his allies have been trying to divert the issue by hurling allegations against other presidential candidates.

The senator was referring to the claim of Villar's camp that allies of Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III leaked the report of the Senate Committee of the Whole penned by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Roxas insisted that the presidential race has nothing to do with Villar's ethics case.

"The issue here is Senator Villar, as [then] Senate president and chairman of the finance committee pushed the [C-5 road] project and the road passed through his property," he said.

Villar: I will address the people, not Senate

In a statement before the Senate session resumed on Tuesday, Villar said he would not attend the deliberations.

"I have always faced the music. But I did not dance to their music and never will. I addressed the Filipino people directly about the C-5 issue. I am available to media to answer questions. My opponents want to make me a whipping boy to boost their political plans. Why should I give them the satisfaction?" Villar said in the statement posted on the Senate's website.

He said he would not face a floor filled with political enemies and the "usual cast of characters."

"They are candidates for president or their respective allies," Villar said, particularly naming Roxas, running mate of Aquino and another presidential candidate, Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal.

Villar said that the committee report, censuring him for benefitting from the C-5 Road Project was leaked by Aquino's partymates .

"The Liberal Party panicked when they saw the surveys. They were the ones who leaked the committee report. It's obvious," Villar said.