Uncertainty grips Senate majority before Joel Villanueva's transfer

MANILA, Philippines—It was not until late Tuesday night that the Senate majority received confirmation that Sen. Joel Villanueva would join them.

“It’s done,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson recalled Sen. JV Ejercito telling them.

According to Lacson, it was Ejercito who had been talking to Villanueva, who was part of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s group.

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However, uncertainty continued to shroud the majority bloc despite Villanueva’s pronouncement that he would attend the special session of Congress called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.

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READ: Villanueva to attend special session: This is not the time to take sides

“In fact, up until last night (Tuesday), he had not yet signed it,” Lacson said, without saying what document Villanueva had to sign.

“I think when Sen. JV informed us that it was already done, it was already past 11 in the evening,” he added.

Ejercito later said the document Lacson was referring to was for a “peaceful transition of leadership change.”

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True to his promise, Villanueva joined the 12-member majority bloc at the session that saw the election of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and other key officials of the chamber.

READ: Gatchalian is new Senate president

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Villanueva’s answers to reporters were brief when he was asked about his decision to join the Gatchalian-led bloc.

“We want to work. We want to accomplish something. We want to do something,” Villanueva said.

Ejercito confirmed that he might have served as a “bridge” to Villanueva as they kept their lines open since Cayetano’s takeover of the Senate leadership from Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on  May 11.

Villanueva backed Cayetano as Senate president while Ejercito stayed with Sotto’s group.

“I might have served as a bridge or instrument, since we often communicate,” Ejercito said in Filipino.

“To be fair, there was no concession whatsoever. I think it was more about concern for the Senate as an institution. Nothing was even discussed,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also rejected speculations that there were concessions for Villanueva’s transfer to the majority group.

“You know, this has also been heavy for him, but we want to thank him because he went above and beyond the call of duty. He is here despite having work, and there are no rumors of any distribution or concessions whatsoever, none at all,” he said in Filipino.

“We just want to thank him for his love for the country and for the Senate, and we are grateful to him,” he added.

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Villanueva was among those being investigated for his alleged link to the anomalous flood control projects. /mcm