Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar left Saturday for Spain on the eve of a crucial meeting by the entire Senate to discuss allegations of conflict of interest and influence peddling against him.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile`s office confirmed to ABS-CBN News that Villar sought permission to travel to Barcelona and Bilbao, Spain from May 2 to May 10 “on a trip that has been long-promised” to his wife, Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar.

The travel order signed by Enrile was dated March 25, which tended to bolster Villar's claim it was a long-planned trip.

Villar spokesman Gilbert Remulla also confirmed to ABS-CBN News that the former Senate president had left town. However, Remulla would only say that Villar was “out-of-town on personal business matters.”

This means Villar would not be around on Monday when the Senate Committee of the Whole chaired by Enrile begins deliberations on the ethics complaint filed by Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal against Villar.

Villar is not required however to be present and as of Sunday, the Committee of the Whole meeting was scheduled to proceed.

Meeting with Arroyo?

A source also told ABS-CBN News that Villar was scheduled to meet with President Arroyo, who is on official trip to Egypt and the Middle East. The supposed meeting in an undisclosed location was reportedly set up by two businessmen, one a known backer of Villar and the other a known “crony” of Mrs. Arroyo. Villar's businessman-friend reportedly left for Spain ahead of the senator.

The source said the meeting could either be about the ethics probe, in which case Villar would reportedly ask the president to order administration senators; or about the 2010 elections.

Villar, head and standard bearer of the Nacionalista Party, is positioning himself as an opposition candidate although he counts personalities of the Arroyo administration as among his supporters.

Asked to comment, Remulla laughed off the rumored Arroyo-Villar meeting. “We cannot comment on speculation,” he said.

Jan Mata, a member of Villar’s staff, however denied the reported meeting between Villar and Mrs. Arroyo.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Mata confirmed that Villar and his wife went to Europe, but insisted that it was too far from Egypt where the president is.

He also said that the timing of Villar’s trip was just a coincidence to the scheduled hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on Monday.

Mata said that while Villar had earlier said he would not recognize hearing of the ethics committee led by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the former Senate president would however recognize whatever would be the results of the hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole.

Villar's case was elevated to the Committee of the Whole on motion of ethics committee chair Lacson, after Villar refused to cooperate with the ethics panel.

Villar said the ethics panel was a “kangaroo court” because it is composed of his fellow presidential aspirants who were out to get him.

Aside from Lacson, the panel includes vice chair. Sen. Richard Gordon and members Senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Loren Legarda and Gregorio Honasan. The Senate minority had refused to nominate representatives to the ethics panel. With a report from ABS-CBN News desk