Senator Mark Villar joined Senate majority to ensure stability— Senator Gatchalian

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Senator Mark Villar’s decision to join the majority bloc was driven by a shared goal of keeping the chamber stable and ensuring the uninterrupted passage of legislation.

Gatchalian said he and Villar, who recently left the minority bloc, have maintained a close friendship over the years and frequently discussed the Senate’s direction.

“Sa aming pag-uusap, pareho naman ang aming ninanais na maging stable ang Senado at maging dire-diretso ang trabaho lalo na sa mga legislation at ‘yung mga dapat gawin para umangat ‘yung ating ekonomiya,” Gatchalian told reporters.

He also pointed to Villar’s background in business and economics. “Si Mark kasi, kilala ko, isa rin ’yan sa ating mga magagaling na negosyante, economist. May masters degree ’yan in Business Economics so mahalaga ’yung kaniyang matutulong sa grupo,” he said.

Gatchalian added that Villar decided to join the bloc after seeing that the Senate was moving in the right direction.

“So kung kausap ko siya — madalas naman kami mag-usap — at nakita niya na ang direksiyon naman ng Senado ngayon ay maayos kaya sumama sya to bring stability,” he added.

Villar formally joined the majority on Thursday, October 8, after securing the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Public Works. He was also named to the Commission on Appointments, replacing Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri in the post.

His transfer brought the majority bloc’s membership to 14 senators, while the minority was left with 10.

The realignment came as the Senate continued hearing the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, raising questions about whether the shift in bloc membership could influence the proceedings.

Villar had already broke away from his former minority colleagues on September 23, when he voted in favor of changing the formula used to determine the number of votes required to convict Duterte.

Gatchalian, however, said the outcome of the impeachment trial would ultimately rest on the evidence and how the senator-judges evaluate it.

“Lahat ‘yan ay babagsak sa ebidensya at kung paano ma-appreciate ng senator-judges ang ebidensya,” he said.