JV Ejercito: Talks between Chiz, 'Solid 7' seen when emotions have cooled off

Following the ouster of former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, one of the senators that remained his ally on Tuesday said he expects newly elected Senate President Francis Escudero to communicate with them “once emotions have cooled off.”

In a message to reporters, Senator JV Ejercito said Escudero eventually has to talk to the “Solid 7,” referring to Senators Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Zubiri, and himself as they remain to be a “formidable bloc in the Senate.”

“But probably after emotions have cooled off and after we have decided which direction to take, whether we remain as an independent bloc or join the minority in the Senate,” Ejercito said.

Last week, Zubiri resigned from his post as Senate president, saying that he “failed to follow instructions from the “powers that be” which may have led to his “demise.”

Ejercito then resigned as deputy majority leader, Villanueva as majority leader, Binay and Angara as chairpersons of their respective Senate committees, and Legarda as Senate pro-tempore.

Escudero, meanwhile, was nominated as Senate President by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

The newly installed Senate president later admitted to initiating the move to replace Zubiri as the head of the upper chamber.

However, both Escudero and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada denied that Malacañang was involved in the changes in the Senate leadership. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News