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Senator Joel Villanueva announced on Sunday, June 14 that he would attend a special session to be called by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

In a video message aired during the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church's Sunday service, Villanueva acknowledged that the current leadership dispute in the Senate has greatly affected the institution and thus, the need to set aside any political differences in favor of the Filipino people.

In his message to the JIL congregation, Villanueva also highlighted the need to ensure that the Senate staff are not “caught in the middle of the fight.”

“The Senate staff should not be caught in the middle of the fight. Hindi pwedeng puro away na lang. Bilang mga lingkod bayan prayoridad po dapat natin ang siguruhin na patuloy na nagtatrabaho ang bawat isa sa atin. Lalo na ang Senado para po sa ating mga kababayan (We can’t keep on fighting. As public servants, our priority should be to ensure that each of us continues to work, especially the Senate, for our countrymen),” Villanueva said.

“Sa pagkakataon po na magkaroon ng special session tutuparin po natin ang ating sagradong tungkulin sa ilalim ng ating Saligang batas (In the event a special session is called, we will fulfill our sacred duty under our Constitution). We will be there,” the senator said.

The holding of a special session has earlier been floated by the camp of Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian following the Upper Chamber’s failure to settle the leadership row before it adjourned sine die on June 6.

Gatchalian stressed the need to pass several important measures, including the confirmation of the appointments of several officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) whose promotions were stalled after the group of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano ousted then Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Cayetano’s bloc had boycotted the last three remaining sessions days of the Senate before it adjourned.

But before the Senate adjourned, 12 senators elected him as the Senate President Pro Tempore and eventually designated him to be the Acting Senate President, a move recognized by Malacañang and the House of Representatives.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who had joined then Cayetano’s group, attended the last day of session and helped provide a quorum for Gatchalian’s bloc.

Villanueva, in his video message, said this “is not the time to take sides” as many Filipinos are now suffering and the country is facing pressing issues, particularly after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao last week.

“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. 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,” Villanueva said.

“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,” the senator stressed.