Villanueva says ‘will be there’ in special session

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joel Villanueva on Sunday said he would attend a special session of Congress should President Marcos convene one, a move that could prove decisive in resolving the Senate leadership impasse by providing the crucial 13th vote needed to formally elect Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President.

“In the event a special session is called, we will fulfill our sacred duty under our Constitution. We will be there,” Villanueva said in a recorded message aired during the Sunday service of evangelical group Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Worldwide.

His statement immediately fueled speculation on social media that he could join the 12-member majority bloc now aligned with Gatchalian, who was elected as Senate President pro tempore and is serving as acting Senate President since the June 3 leadership shake-up against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

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READ: Lacson: Majority ready vs Cayetano ‘dirty tricks’ in special session

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Malacañang earlier said Marcos was open to convening one if presented with a formal request and valid grounds.

Palace officials later indicated, however, that the Senate should first work toward resolving its internal conflict before the President acts.

Villanueva’s attendance at a special session could provide the numerical threshold needed to formally install Gatchalian and put an end to weeks of uncertainty over the Senate leadership.

‘We can’t keep fighting’

The senator, however, stopped short of indicating how he would vote, instead stressing the need for lawmakers to focus on their constitutional duties and public service.

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“As public servants, our priority is to ensure that each of us continues to work, especially the Senate, for our countrymen,” Villanueva said.

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“The Senate employees should not be caught in the middle of the fight. We can’t keep fighting all the time,” he added, lamenting the impact of the dispute on Senate personnel and operations.

Villanueva said the institution has also been hampered by reported security threats as he urged senators not to lose sight of pressing national concerns, including the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao on June 8.

“This is not the time to take sides,” he said. “It is our duty to protect our institution and prioritize the welfare of our fellow citizens.”

He added that if a special session is convened, he intends to file a resolution to ensure adequate funding for relief, rehabilitation and recovery efforts in earthquake-hit areas of Mindanao. He also cited the need to pass pending measures on third reading and act on appointments awaiting confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, including those involving officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Lacson welcomes move

Sen. Panfilo Lacson welcomed Villanueva’s declaration, saying attendance at a special session is a constitutional duty regardless of political affiliation.

“I just hope his colleagues in the Cayetano bloc have the same attitude,” Lacson said in an interview on radio dzBB.

Lacson reiterated that the majority bloc deliberately deferred the election of a Senate President because it wanted to comply strictly with the constitutional requirement of 13 votes.

“We adhere to the provision of the Constitution that there has to be 13 votes to elect a Senate President,” he said. “That’s why the election of a Senate President is on hold despite the opinions of several legal luminaries that it can be done even with 12 votes only.”

The majority currently controls 12 votes, including that of Sen. Francis Escudero, whose surprise attendance on June 3 enabled the then 11-member minority bloc led by Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to constitute a quorum and declare all Senate leadership positions vacant.

Under the Constitution, the Senate President must be elected by a majority of all members, or at least 13 senators. While some legal experts have argued that Gatchalian could already be recognized as the chamber’s leader, the majority bloc has insisted on securing 13 votes before holding a formal election.

Asked whether Villanueva could become the decisive 13th vote for Gatchalian, Lacson said only the senator himself could answer that question.

“That I do not know. Sen. Joel should be the one to know that,” he said.

Alan ‘capable of anything’

Lacson also disclosed that the majority bloc has prepared contingency measures in anticipation of possible disruptions during a special session by allies of Cayetano, who continues to insist that he remains Senate President.

“Members of the majority bloc are ready with contingencies in case he makes a scene,” Lacson said, adding that he had advised colleagues not to underestimate Cayetano.

“We have discussed measures that I am not at liberty to divulge,” he added.

The veteran senator, when asked, said Cayetano could attempt to challenge Gatchalian’s authority by insisting on presiding over the session or even trying to take control of the Senate mace, the symbol of the chamber’s authority.

“He is capable of doing anything to preserve his power,” Lacson said, claiming that most senators and Senate stakeholders have already recognized Gatchalian as the chamber’s leader.

Lacson said: “[Cayetano] should wake up to reality. Even if he shouts he is still the Senate President, no one is following him. Not even his allies who have become quiet, perhaps because they realize that the fight is over and it’s pointless to insist. There is no permanent Senate President, but for all intents and purposes, he is not the Senate President.”

He said he was hoping Cayetano would not create a spectacle once a special session is convened.

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“All senators should take part in the special session. Cayetano should debate in plenary, not on Facebook,” Lacson said. /cb