MANILA — Sen. Joel Villanueva has expressed readiness to attend a possible special session of Congress, saying lawmakers should focus on urgent national concerns instead of taking sides in the ongoing Senate leadership dispute.

In a report, he said he will attend a special session saying it is their duty to “protect the institution.”

“Sa pagkakataon po na magkaroon ng special session tutuparin po natin ang ating sagradong tungkulin sa ilalim ng ating Saligang batas. We will be there,” Villanueva said in a video message during a Jesus Is Lord Church worship service on Sunday, June 14.

“My fellow workers in the Lord’s vineyard, this is not a time for partisanship. When we have a fellow citizen in need, it is our duty to respond and serve,” Villanueva said.
“Then and until now, it is clear to us. It is very clear to us the reason why we are here as public servants. It is clear to us why God brought us to this position,” he added.

Villanueva made the statement as speculation continues over whether he will align with the bloc of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, a move seen as potentially influencing efforts to resolve the Senate leadership impasse.

He downplayed political alignment talks, saying the public is more concerned about whether senators are performing their duties.

Villanueva said the leadership dispute has affected the institution and Senate employees who have been caught in the middle of the conflict.

“It is our duty to protect our institution and prioritize the welfare of our fellow citizens. Above all, we will continue to stand for God and for the people,” he said.

The Senate adjourned on June 6 without resolving the leadership row that followed a series of developments in the chamber.

The dispute began after Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III was replaced as Senate president by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on May 11. It escalated on June 3 when senators adopted a motion declaring all leadership positions vacant following an alleged boycott by the Cayetano bloc.

Sen. Francis Escudero later provided the quorum that allowed the session to proceed, leading to the election of Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore.

Gatchalian’s bloc is currently believed to have 12 members, one vote short of the 13 needed to establish a new majority and replace Cayetano, who maintains that he remains Senate president.

Malacañang earlier said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is inclined to call a special session to allow Congress to address pending measures during the legislative break.

Villanueva said that if a special session is convened, he would push for funding for relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts for communities affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao. He also said he would support the passage of measures already on third and final reading and act on pending confirmations, particularly those involving delayed promotions of military officers.

He 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 is currently facing an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman over his alleged involvement in corruption linked to flood control projects in Bulacan, which he has denied.