Pimentel on Trillanes-Cayetano clash: You don’t taunt a fellow senator 

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Friday called for respect among his colleagues following the fiery exchange between Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano during Thursday's Senate hearing on drug-related killings.

In an interview on News To Go, Pimentel said members of the Senate should neither taunt nor heckle a fellow senator.

“Nakakalungkot kasi in the Senate, you do not take the law into your own hands and when i say law, the rules. Kunyari may ginagawa ang isang senador na hindi mo gusto, kayo po ay ia-address ninyo yung concern niyo sa presiding officer,” Pimentel said.

“You do not take the law or the rules into your own hands na ikaw mismo ang papatay ng mic nung tao, yung microphone. Hindi po dapat ginagawa 'to tsaka syempre you don’t taunt, you don’t heckle your fellow senator,” he added.

“Magkapantay po kayo. Respeto lang po.”

Trillanes and Cayetano clashed during the hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights after Trillanes asked Senator Leila de Lima, the panel chairperson, to declare Cayetano out of order for taking up the time of the committee in questioning witness Edgar Matobato.

De Lima had to suspend the hearing to ease the tension between the two senators. During the break, however, the senators were heard continuing their argument.

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

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

Pimentel said it was De Lima, as panel chairperson, who had the responsibility to clarify the Senate rules on time allotted to senators in asking questions.

Trillanes earlier said that his exchange with Cayetano were just “sweet nothings.” —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KBK, GMA News