Trillanes wants Cayetano cited ‘out of order’

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday moved that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano be cited out of order for asking questions during the resumption of the hearing on the spate of killings in the country even though he is not a member of the committee.

Cayetano had been grilling witness Edgar Matobato lengthily when Trillanes called the attention of justice and human rights committee chairperson Sen. Leila de Lima.

"I would just like to inquire if there is unli-questioning allotted for a non-member of the committee," Trillanes said, to which De Lima replied that she is giving senators, committee member or not, 10 minutes to ask questions.

"We have given him more than an hour of leeway, for a non-member that’s a luxury," Trillanes said. "And now as a member, can I assert my right as a member, otherwise I might move to declare Sen Cayetano out of order for consuming the time of the committee of which he is not a member."

Cayetano tried to butt in, but Trillanes insisted he wants him declared out of order. The two senators were seated beside each other.

Cayetano, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, said he just wanted to explain his presence in the hearing. 

The ensuing exchange of words between Trillanes and Cayetano prompted De Lima to declare a two-minute break to ease the tension. 

The two senators, however, continued their argument during the break.

Trillanes was heard telling Cayetano, "Hindi kita papopormahin," to which Cayetano replied, “Senador ako, binoto ako ng tao dito, di ba?"

De Lima then stood between the two and urged them to "don't do this in front of our people."

Cayetano then told De Lima: "Ang problema sasabihan niya ako sa mukha na hindi niya ako papopormahin dito, elected ako ng tao. Wala namang bastusan."

He also told Trillanes: "Kay [former Vice President Jejomar] Binay tatlong oras tayong dalawa, ang hinihingi ko lang po wag tayong magbastusan sa komite." He was referring to the Senate probe on the alleged anomalies linked to Binay and his family.

When the hearing resumed, De Lima explained why she had to cut Cayetano, but the latter tried to butt in. Trillanes tried to turn Cayetano’s microphone off.

When he was allowed to speak, Cayetano claimed that he was being "threatened" by Trillanes, who was seated to his right.

"I don’t want to be intimidated because my seatmate here is intimidating me. He told me here hindi kita papopormahin. He said mabubuo ba ang pangarap mo, you are defending evil. I’m trying to get to the bottom of this tapos tatabihan n’yo ako at ita-trash talk ako ng isang senador. I never did that to any of my colleagues,” he said.

He said if he would not be given a chance to ask questions, he would rather go home as his wife is already waiting for him.

De Lima agreed that Cayetano has been taking most of the time of the committee members, who were also supposed to ask questions on Matobato. Cayetano insisted he was just after the truth.

"We have all the time in the world. Ano ba ang importante, lumabas ang totoo or is this just a demolition job?" he said.

He also complained to De Lima that Trillanes was talking to him. "Can Sen Trillanes stop talking to me? I don’t want to talk to him but he keeps talking to me," he said before transferring to another seat, away from Trillanes.

Trillanes said he just wanted Cayetano to get to the point. "Masyadong mahaba, pasikot sikot. It is quite annoying and irritating already. Sana he gets to the point," he said — RSJ/KBK, GMA News