Famed Senate 'Wednesday group' to reunite this Christmas season

The famed Wednesday group of the Senate will reunite, at least for this Christmas season. The defunct Wednesday group — composed of Senators Manny Villar, Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, and former Vice President Noli de Castro — will host a thanksgiving dinner for the media on Friday. Pangilinan, however, denied that the gathering was political in nature. "Reunion lang yun just like family reunions during Christmas holidays (That's just a reunion, just like those family reunions during Christimas)," he said in an interview on Monday. However, Recto clarified that their group remained friends despite being in different parties. "We’re personal friends at the same time we have political leanings," he said in a separate interview. He likewise said that their connection helps settle work-related disputes informally. "Mas madaling magusap pag magkakaibgan kayo (It's easier talking to friends) instead of having it on the floor...we can talk among ourselves," he said. The Wednesday group named for the regular meetings they held on Wednesdays during the 13th Congress. The group has been known to vote as a bloc on certain instances, the most notable of which was the ouster of Senator Franklin Drilon as Senate President. He was replaced by Villar. The senators, however, went their separate ways before the 2007 national polls. Villar, Pangilinan, Arroyo, and Recto ran in the senatorial race. Only Recto lost his bid. Recto and Pangilinan are currently members of the Liberal Party; Villar is with the Nacionalista Party, and Arroyo is an independent. At the beginning of the 15th Congress, Villar and Pangilinan attempted to run for the Senate presidency but both bowed out of the race to give way to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. - VVP, GMANews.TV