Zubiri group to discuss possible transfer to minority during session break —Gatchalian

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and the six senators who voted for him to retain his post as Senate president will talk about the possibility of joining the minority bloc during the ongoing Congress session break, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Wednesday.

"Pag-uusapan namin ito. Itong break ang gagamitin naming panahon para makapag-usap ng mabuti (we'll talk about this, we'll use this break to talk thoroughly)," Gatchalian said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum when asked if he shares Senator Joel Villanueva’s sentiment that he is inclined to join the minority following the development in the chamber's leadership.

"Pag-uusapan naming mabuti pa (we will thoroughly talk about this)," Gatchalian said.

Congress adjourned sine die on May 23, meaning the two houses will not hold sessions until President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivers his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in late July. 

Senator Francis Escudero, who replaced Zubiri as Senate president after garnering 15 votes, has admitted to initiating the move to replace Zubiri.

Aside from Gatchalian and Villanueva, those who voted against Zubiri’s ouster included Senators Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay and JV Ejercito.

Zubiri, Angara and Binay are on their second consecutive and last term as senators, while Gatchalian and Villanueva still have until 2028. Ejercito and Legarda, on the other hand, are on their first term, having been elected to the Senate in May 2022.

Gatchalian, during the forum, said he is after shepherding the priority measures.

"As for me, what is important is how we will be able to shepherd the passage of priority measures, especially in education and ways and means [of generating revenues for the government]," he said. —KBK, GMA Integrated News