MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito was "instrumental" in the decision of Sens. Chiz Escudero and Joel Villanueva to defect to the majority bloc and end the power struggle in the Senate.
Escudero abandoned the Cayetano-led faction on June 3 and became the majority bloc's 12th member.
Villanueva followed suit on June 17 during the Senate special session called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said it was Ejercito who broke the news late Tuesday evening that he already secured Villanueva's support for Sen. Gatchalian.
"Nung sinabi ni JV, na it's done [it's already] past 11 in the evening [of June 16]," Lacson said in a chance interview.
Ejercito said he is close friends with Villanueva and Escudero. "I have worked with them. It's just that we just kept the lines open."
The senator said he served as a "bridge" or instrument in conveying the concerns of Escudero and Villanueva to the majority, where he belonged.
"I think more than anything it's the love for the institution that made them decide to join the new majority. To be fair there were no concessions offered [to them]," Ejercito said.
"Parang hindi sila masaya sa nangyayari (It appeared that they were no longer happy with what was happening)," he said.
Ejercito cited the Cayetano's call for his bloc to boycott the June 1 and 2 sessions of the Senate to protest Malacanang's alleged interference in the chamber's affairs.
"The events in the past months damaged the institution. We love the Senate very much. It was first time in history that the public perception on the Senate plunged, even lower than that of the House of Representatives," he added.
