NACIONALISTA candidate and Sen. Manuel Villar on Tuesday conceded defeat in the presidential elections and congratulated frontrunner Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Villar called a press conference at around 11 a.m. in Mandaluyong, while results of the Comelec count showed him trailing at third place with some 4 million votes, behind Aquino who was leading with more than 12 million votes, and Estrada at around 8 million.
Villar thanked his supporters and volunteers whose help he called “hindi matatawaran (invaluable).” He also thanked the media who covered him through the three-month election campaign.
Villar said his family wanted to join him for his concession speech but he said he asked them stay home since they had already been hurt by the mudslinging that was exchanged during the campaign period.
Villar said he would pursue his crusade of helping the poor in other ways.
Listen to excepts from Villar’s concession speech.