Furthering eroding Tondo‘s image as a land of the tough, Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Senator Manuel Villar Jr. brings out the toughest member of his posse: his mother.

In a press conference, Villar’s mother, Curita, broke down in tears saying she had called a press conference because she and her family have been so poorly treated.

Referring perhaps to the scandals that her son has figured in, but has famously repeatedly dismissed as pure politicking, Mrs. Villar said, “you think we aren’t affected by this? This has almost killed me.”

And, really, nothing makes allegations of conflicts of interest and an attempt to strong arm the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange to allow the sale of escrowed IPO stocks go away quite like a mother in tears.

If this were grade school, anyway. Adding nothing to the discussion except her pleas to God to take care of her son, and for the Virgin Mary to stand witness to his not being corrupt, Mrs. Villar then started going hysterical.

Taking her place was Villar’s sister, Gloria Benedicto, who also chose to take the Logic: How Not To Do It route.

Asked whether Senator Villar was using his mother to get sympathy votes , Mrs. Benedicto responded, “Who here doesn’t use their mother to their advantage?” An obvious reference to Liberal bet Senator Benigno Aquino III, son of the late President Corazon Aquino, and a non-answer worthy of Senator Villar himself.

Mrs. Benedicto then took another swipe at Aquino saying, “at least our mother is still alive, and she can defend her son.” A statement that simultaneously made no sense, and sort of shoots their own family in the foot, picking on a 50-plus-year-old orphan.