MANILA - Senator Manuel "Manny" Villar Jr. said Wednesday that his fellow senators' attempts to destroy his credibility has dimmed former President Joseph Estrada's vision of a single opposition presidential candidate in 2010.

"Ang iba kasing presidentiable, hanggang ngayon hindi pa ako tinitigilan eh. Siguro sila muna ang mga dapat kausapin (The other presidentiables have not stopped attacking me. Maybe [President Estrada] should talk to them first)," Villar told radio dzMM when asked about Estrada's plan to meet all opposition presidentiables and convince them to agree on a common candidate.

Villar was referring to Senators Jamby Madrigal and Mar Roxas, who have been hitting him for the alleged double insertion of the C-5 Road project. Madrigal has filed an ethics complaint against Villar, and another hearing on the rap was held on Wednesday.

The senator said Madrigal's recent declaration that she will run for president in 2010 confirms his earlier statement that the senator's filing of the ethics complaint was politically-motivated.

With other opposition bets ganging up on him, Villar said it would be difficult for him to commit to Estrada's proposal for a common opposition presidentiable.

He said the Nacionalista Party, which he heads, would have to be consulted first. He added that the party is planning to come up with a full electoral ticket for 2010, from national to municipal elective posts.

"Nacionalista Party is a nationwide organization. The party will place candidates from the presidency down to the lowest elective position," the senator said.

Asked if he is willing to give way to Estrada in case he pursues his presidential bid, Villar said he would still have to consult his partymates.

He added that he and Estrada have not talked about the possibility of the former president running in 2010 and him (Villar) backing out of his presidential bid.

Opposition meeting

Estrada has said he will meet opposition presidentiables at the end of the month to convince them to decide on a single candidate for the 2010 presidential election.

“I can either meet them one by one or all together by the last week of August. I will make my final decision (to run for president) after that. Maybe, we will know that by September,” Estrada said in a Philippine Star news article.

The other opposition figures who have declared their interest in running for president are Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Senators Loren Legarda, and Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

The former president fears that without a common presidential candidate, the opposition may lose again in the 2010 elections, just like what happened in 2004 when there were four opposition bets trying to beat President Arroyo.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson refused to give way to movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. in 2004, which enabled President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to win by a small margin over Poe in a controversial election. 

Estrada believes Mrs. Arroyo's group cheated in the last elections. He said with several opposition candidates, the administration can again easily win the elections.