A quote card making the rounds on Facebook claims Senator Joel Villanueva said the 12-senator quorum during the June 3 Senate session was legal — and that he was calling out Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for being wrong. But Villanueva says it's all fake.
The Facebook page “Kuya Rudz,” with 7,000 followers, posted the quote card on June 6. As of writing, it has 520 reactions, 120 comments, and 33 shares. Rappler also found several other social media posts spreading the same claim.
The fake quote card reads: “Mr. Cayetano, kahit magkakampi tayo ang masasabi ko ay mali ka. Nag-quorum na silang 12 senators at binakante na ang mga posisyon. Legal ‘yun. Ang hindi lang pwede ay mag elect ng SP kasi need 13 votes. Hindi natin pwedeng ipilit yung gusto natin kahit illegal. Hindi ako payag diyan. Parang ikaw nalang nagdidikta ng lahat eh.”
Translation: “Mr. Cayetano, even if we are allies, I can say that you are wrong. They have already reached a quorum of 12 senators, and the positions have been vacated. That is legal. The only thing that is not possible is electing a Senate president, because it requires 13 votes. We cannot insist on what we want, even if it is illegal. I do not agree with that. It seems like you are the only one dictating everything.”
But Villanueva himself debunked the quote card on June 5 during a news update on DZBB and One TV Philippines, calling it “fake news.” A member of his staff also confirmed in a text message to Rappler that the quote card is fake.
There are no news reports or video recordings from legitimate sources showing Villanueva making that statement.
The fake quote card appeared three days after Senator Chiz Escudero — who was part of Cayetano's bloc — unexpectedly showed up at the Senate session on June 3. That came after two consecutive plenary sessions skipped by Cayetano and his allies.
With 12 senators present, a motion was made to declare all elected Senate seats vacant and to elect Senator Win Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate president. The Gatchalian bloc cited the Avelino v. Cuenco doctrine to argue that the quorum of 12 was legal.
Cayetano and his bloc disputed Gatchalian's acting Senate presidency, insisting that Cayetano was the “legitimate and moral” Senate president. But during a special session on Wednesday, June 17, Gatchalian was elected Senate president, ending the leadership row. Villanueva joined the new majority, giving Gatchalian the 13th vote for the Senate presidency.
Rappler has previously debunked similar manipulated quote cards targeting other politicians. They've exposed a fake quote card of Senator Risa Hontiveros saying she'd file an ICC case against Israel and Trump, and a fake quote card of DPWH's Dizon threatening a case against a vlogger.