MANILA - The Senate Committee of the Whole on Tuesday has given Sen. Manuel Villar until Friday to answer the allegations that he used his position to benefit his businesses in connection with his purported pushing for the C-5 road extension project.

This, as the committee chaired by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile wrapped up hearings on the ethics case filed by Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal against Villar.

“Tapos na si Sen Jamby Madrigal sa presentation ng kanyang ebidensya. Ang mga ebidensya na ipinresenta nila, ni Sen Madrigal, laban kay Sen. Villar.... ay ipiprisinta through a motion to be filed by the counsel for complainant Sen Madrigal not later than 5 p.m. on Friday,” said Enrile in an interview after the committee hearing.

Enrile said, however, that the Senate Committee of the Whole still wants to know from Villar if he wants to answer, dispute or refute the charges and the evidence presented during more than 6 months of hearings of the Senate Committee of the Whole.

“At the same time, the chair of the Senate Committee of the Whole gave respondent Sen. Villar until that time to tell the committee whether he would present any evidence to controvert those evidences presented against him and indicate when, if he wants to present controverting evidence to indicate to the committee, he would introduce those evidence within a reasonable time,” said Enrile.

Villar has boycotted the probe, claiming it was politically motivated.

Enrile said, however, that if Villar would fail to answer by Friday, the ethics case would be deemed submitted for resolution.

“So unless he will notify the committee that he will be presenting evidence to controvert ... the ethics case agaisnt Sen. Villar will be deemed submitted for the consideration and resolution of the Committee of the Whole,” said the Senate President.

Enrile said that notice was given to Villar last Oct. 6 for him to present his side on the alleged ethics violation. He said however that Villar has not replied.

He also said that by Friday, should Villar indicate he would present his own side, the former Senate President should also indicate when he would present. “Reasonable time at least a week or so - a week is a reasonable time.... He must indicate to us when he wants to do that. It cannot be forever,” said Enrile.

If Villar would not respond Enrile said that the senators would deliberate and decide on the basis of evidence presented by Madrigal and her lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr.

With this scenario, Enrile said: “Baka by November meron na kaming desisyon.”

If Villar is found guilty, he could be punished with an admonition, reprimand, censure, suspension or expulsion.

The ethics case against Villar stemmed from his advocacy of the C-5 road extension project to the alleged extent that he purportedly inserted funds for the road construction, allegedly knowing fully well that it would benefit his real estate business.

The Senate Committee of the Whole also gave Madrigal the same deadline for submitting all other pieces of evidence in the ethics case. By Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News