Senator Joel Villanueva vowed Sunday to attend a special session if one is called by the President to advance stalled legislation, even as pundits see it as an avenue for a complete takeover of the Senate leadership by the bloc of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
Villanueva’s statement further fueled speculation that he is poised to switch allegiance to the Gatchalian-led faction following weeks of persistent gridlock.
Currently allied with the group of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Villanueva joined the boycott of Senate sessions from 1 to 3 June, the final week of legislative proceedings before Congress adjourned sine die until late July.
The boycott effectively paralyzed the Senate’s legislative work, including the passage of key bills on final reading, the confirmation of military generals, and the granting of Filipino citizenship to Bennie Boatwright III and Matthew James Ramos ahead of international sports competitions.
In a video message shared Sunday, Villanueva said he is duty-bound to attend a special session, although he stopped short of confirming whether the move signals a break from Cayetano’s bloc.
Quake rehab
“This is not a time for partisanship. When our countrymen are in need, it is our duty to respond and serve,” he said in Filipino.
Among the measures he said he intends to push is a supplemental budget for relief and rehabilitation efforts in communities affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao.
Villanueva’s rumored political shift could resolve the weeks-long leadership deadlock between Cayetano and Acting Senate President Gatchalian by increasing the latter’s numbers from 12 to the constitutionally mandated 13 votes.
The arithmetic of the Senate power struggle changed dramatically after two members of the Cayetano bloc were effectively removed from active participation.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa went into hiding following the issuance of an International Criminal Court warrant, while Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested and jailed on plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan.
The speculation intensified after Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero bolted from the Cayetano-Loren Legarda bloc and joined the Gatchalian camp following Estrada’s arrest and detention.
The combined effect of Dela Rosa’s absence, Estrada’s incarceration, and Escudero’s defection effectively reduced Cayetano’s numbers and transformed what had been a slim majority into an 11-member bloc struggling to maintain control of the chamber.
Courting rivals
Cayetano and his allies have refused to recognize the 3 June leadership change that stripped them of control of the chamber, including committee chairmanships, after all positions were declared vacant and Gatchalian was installed in Cayetano’s place.
Cayetano had wrested control of the Senate from former Senate President Vicente Sotto III last month through a 13-9-2 vote.
Estrada had earlier claimed that he was offered relief from his legal troubles if he would leave the Cayetano-Legarda group.
Like Estrada, both Escudero and Villanueva have been linked to allegations surrounding the multibillion-peso flood control scandal that has dragged the President as among the alleged recipients of billions in kickbacks.
Political analyst and lawyer Edward Chico said Villanueva may possess the same political vulnerability that made Escudero and Estrada targets for recruitment efforts by the rival camp.
Cayetano’s camp has challenged the Gatchalian takeover as unconstitutional, arguing it lacked the 13 votes needed to establish a quorum, conduct business, and elect new officers.
Caveat
Gatchalian’s bloc, however, has acknowledged that it still lacks one vote to formally elect him as Senate president, as required by the Constitution.
Several senators allied with Gatchalian, including Senator Panfilo Lacson, have publicly said they are trying to persuade colleagues from Cayetano’s camp to switch sides and end the impasse without court intervention.
Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Domingo Cayosa recently said that a single defection from Cayetano’s bloc could break the deadlock without the need for Supreme Court intervention.
Without such a move, the standoff is expected to continue, as the High Court is unlikely to interfere in the affairs of a coequal branch of government.
Lacson said Sunday that he was also unaware of Villanueva’s position and the reason behind his statement regarding a possible special session.
Malacañang has said the Senate must first resolve its internal conflict before a special session can be formally convened.
