Marilyn Cahatol

Acting Majority Leader Joel Villanueva moves to cite members of the National Bureau of Investigation in contempt for attempting to prevent Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from attending the plenary session on Monday, May 11, 2026. Wendell Alinea,  Senate Social Media Unit

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178140869406420260512-senate-coup-joel-villanueva-SSMU2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Then-Acting Majority Leader Joel Villanueva moves to cite members of the National Bureau of Investigation in contempt for attempting to prevent Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from attending the plenary session on Monday, May 11, 2026. <em>Wendell Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Joel Villanueva on Sunday assured followers of his father&#x27;s Jesus is Lord Church that he will attend a special session of Congress if one is called during the legislative break.</p><p>Senators aligned with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano had boycotted the last three days of session, which led to delays in legislation and in the confirmation of the promotions of military officials. </p><p>This led to a 12-person quorum that elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian Senate president pro tempore and talk of holding a special session to catch up on missed work.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/10/house-open-to-special-session-but-senate-must-muster-majority-garin-1658">House open to special session but Senate must muster majority — Garin </a></div><p>“Sa pagkakataon 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 the Jesus is Lord Church’s worship service.</p><p>(Should there be a special session, we will fulfill our sacred duty under the Constitution. We will be there.)</p><p>Villanueva is part of the Cayetano bloc that skipped the last three plenary sessions before the scheduled adjournment.</p><p>The June 3 session — the last before Congress went on break — saw attendance by the then 11-member minority bloc and Sen. Francis Escudero.</p><p>Villanueva has been rumored to be a potential addition to the Gatchalian bloc, which would make him a key player for the Senate to finally elect a new Senate president and end the power struggle at the chamber.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/9/gatchalian-bloc-may-reach-13-members-soon-bam-aquino-1113">Gatchalian bloc may reach 13 members &#x27;soon&#x27;—Bam Aquino</a></div><p>Villanueva, in his speech, said those spreading the rumors have seem to have put him “between two colliding forces.”</p><p>He said: “Hindi po madali ang ating mga pinagdaraanan nitong mga nakaraang buwan. Tunay na may mga sandaling kailangan mong pumili kung ano ang tama, kahit hindi ito ang pinakamadali.”</p><p>(I was going through challenges in the past months. Indeed, there are times when you need to choose what is right, even if not the easiest.)</p><p>Villanueva lamented how the Senate leadership fiasco affected the upper chamber’s work and caught the staff in the middle. </p><p>Malacañang previously said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “inclined” to call for a<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/marcos-inclined-to-call-for-special-session-if-gatchalian-bloc-sends-request-palace-1504"> special session</a> to reconvene lawmakers to pass several policies during their sine die adjournment.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/10/gatchalian-says-his-doors-heart-open-to-cayetano-and-allies-1502">Gatchalian says his doors, heart open to Cayetano and allies</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>AGENDA</strong></div><p>Should a special session take place, Villanueva said he will file a resolution securing sufficient funds for the relief, rehabilitation and recovery of communities affected by the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/12/rain-aftershocks-hamper-rescuers-as-mindanao-quake-toll-hits-55-1158">7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Mindanao.</a></p><p>He said he will also push for the approval of the necessary bills, including those in third and final reading.</p><p>He also said he will pursue the confirmation of the appointments of those in need, especially the officials in the armed forces.</p><p>Villanueva is <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/-hinog-na-ombudsman-says-case-vs-joel-villaneuva-almost-ready-1356">the subject of an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman</a> into his alleged involvement in corruption in flood-control projects in Bulacan, his home province.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r3qsFnjI2uQ?si=a-aVgAOzOg8TqQKt" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Joel Villanueva on Sunday assured followers of his father's Jesus is Lord Church that he will attend a special session of Congress if one is called during the legislative break.</p>

Sen. Joel Villanueva on Sunday assured followers of his father's Jesus is Lord Church that he will attend a special session of Congress if one is called during the legislative break.

‘We will be there’: Villanueva to attend potential special session

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‘We will be there’: Villanueva to attend potential special session

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 14, 2026 12:26 PM PHT

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Joel Villanueva

Senate

special session

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