MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joel Villanueva expressed readiness to attend a special Senate session that may be called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a telltale sign that he is willing to help resolve the leadership dispute at the Saenate.
The senator made the remark Sunday in a video message to his family in the Jesus Is Lord Church.
“In the event that a special session is called, we will fulfill our sacred duty under our Constitution. We will be there,” he said.
"We can’t keep fighting all the time. As public servants, our priority is to ensure that the Senate continues to work for you,” Villanueva said.
"Some have been circulating various social media posts and speculations about us, and it seems we are being deliberately placed between two clashing forces. This is not the time to take sides," the senator added.
"From then until now, it has been very clear to us why we are here as public servants. It is clear to us why God has placed us in this position. It is our duty to protect our institution and prioritize the welfare of our fellow citizens,” Villanueva said.
There were insinuations that Villanueva will also join the "new" majority bloc headed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to give the latter the needed 13th vote to be elected officially as Senate president. Villanueva kept mum about this scenario.
The June 3 Senate reorganization "ousted" Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president after Sen. Francis Escudero switched to Gatchalian's group, becoming its 12th member.
Marcos earlier urged the senators to resolve their wranglings before he would call for a special session amid the necessity to pass a supplemental budget for the rehabilitation of areas damaged by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Mindanao.
