MANILA — The Senate majority bloc led by Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian may expand to as many as 15 members, though some senators being courted to join are reportedly hesitant due to concerns over online criticism.

In a report, it said that Sen. Erwin Tulfo said in a DZRH interview on Monday that it is “possible” for the Gatchalian-led group, which currently counts 12 members, to increase its numbers as efforts continue to attract senators from the bloc aligned with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

“There are two more, one male, one female, if we can convince them,” Tulfo said in mixed English and Filipino, without naming the lawmakers involved. “The talks we have as friends are ongoing — we’ve had dinner, we ate out to talk, or we visited each other’s houses to talk, but there’s yet to be a clear outcome to those conversations.”

Tulfo said one senator being persuaded to join the majority has expressed a desire to return to work, and noted that the lawmaker’s family has encouraged participation in Senate sessions.

However, he said hesitation remains due to fears of public backlash.

“May isa na ang gusto nila magtrabaho. Pero dahil nga itong grupo na ito, ang problema niya baka siya ay talagang mabubugbog ng mga basher ika nga na mga vlogger, mga troll, hindi niya alam,” he said.

He added that concerns include the possibility of being heavily criticized online.

“That’s what I hear from their friends who are our colleagues in the majority… Besides being called Judas, they will be called ‘family of the devil’ and all the other things that will come their way. So that’s what they’re thinking now: how can they avoid that?” Tulfo said.

The Senate has remained divided in recent weeks, with the current majority holding 12 seats—enough for a quorum but one short of the 13 votes needed to elect a Senate president.

The gap has resulted in Gatchalian serving as acting Senate president and Senate president pro tempore, with the bloc citing precedents, including a 1949 Supreme Court ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco and a 2008 decision, to support the position that 12 senators constitute a quorum.

Tulfo said discussions within the majority continue, including efforts to convince additional members from the Cayetano bloc, though identities were not disclosed.

Of those being courted, only Sen. Joel Villanueva has publicly said he will attend the upcoming special session expected next month. Tulfo, however, said Villanueva’s commitment remains limited.

Villanueva has agreed to help form a quorum, but “whether he will vote for a Senate president is not yet clear,” Tulfo said.

Sen. Chiz Escudero, previously associated with the Cayetano bloc, made a surprise appearance during the June 3 plenary session that elected Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore.

Malacañang has yet to announce the date of the expected special session.