MANILA — The bloc of senators allied with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri — who was replaced by Sen. Francis Escudero at the Senate helm during Monday's shakeup — is mulling joining the chamber's minority group, Sen. JV Ejercito said Thursday.

Speaking on ANC's "Headstart," Ejercito — a member of the group, also called the "Magic 7" — said that while they decided to become independent "while emotions are high" after the chamber's leadership change, uniting with the Senate minority bloc is also an option.

"That's one of the considerations because we are not part of the majority anyway," he said.

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The "Magic 7" is composed of Senators Zubiri, Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva, and Loren Legarda.

The Senate minority bloc has Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel.

Ejercito said that he, Binay, and Villanueva floated the idea of merging with the minority group, adding that Pimentel was also "talking" to them to coalesce.

"We are used to be in the minority from, I think, majority of my life as a senator… we were in the minority with Sen. Nancy Binay," Ejercito said.

When asked whether joining the minority bloc meant opposing the administration, Ejercito said, "Being in the minority does not mean you are against the administration. But we are just on the other side in the Senate leadership."

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For now, Zubiri’s bloc remains part of the new Senate majority, Escudero said.    

"Pasya nila yun pero sa ngayon base sa tradisyon at rules ng Senado, tinuturing namin silang  bahagi sila ng mayorya… Kung maalala niyo after noong  election by acclamation, 2 lamang ang nag-manifest na sila ay nag-a-abtsain at di sumali sa boto kaya nanatili sila sa minority: Si Sen. Pimentel at saka si Sen. Hontiveros," Escudero said.

"Malayang makakapag-manifest kahit anong oras basta may plenary session kami ang sinuman miyembro na umanib sa minority, pero sa ngayon bahagi sila ng mayorya.. Bahagi man sila ng mayorya o minorya, gaya ng sinabi ko sa talumpati ko matapos ako manumpa, tinuturing ko silang pare-parehong miyembro ng Senado."

(That's up to them but right now they remain with the majority because after the election by acclamation only 2 abstained, Senators Pimentel and Hontiveros. Any member can manifest their intention to join the minority whenever there is a plenary session. Nonetheless, they are all senators to me.)

Escudero elected by acclamation, unopposed

Escudero said his leadership has filled up all the committee chairmanships left vacant by the change of Senate Leadership. 

He indicated that the Committee on Youth, which Angara previously chaired, could be merged with the Committee on Sports now led by Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go. 

Escudero said Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino was tasked to study that matter. 

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