Raffy Tulfo, Pia Cayetano clash over 'hostage' claim on Senate bills

Sen. Raffy Tulfo and Sen. Pia Cayetano on Tuesday exchanged words over the incomplete memberships in the Senate committees, which he said were getting in the way of legislation.

Towards the end of the Senate session, Tulfo rose on a point of order and said that Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s “inaction” on the committee memberships of the minority senators was holding hostage pending legislation.

He said that he has coordinated over the past few weeks with Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri regarding the election of senators to the memberships of the Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Migrant Workers.

Senate rules require committee memberships to be completed before the panels can fully conduct their work.

Tulfo said the vacancies in the Public Services and Migrant Workers committees were delaying bills assigned to the panels, including the proposed Department of Water and OFW reintegration measures.

Pia Cayetano rose to speak and addressed Tulfo.

“What disturbs me is that it is the inaction of the minority leader for the confirmation of these memberships of the committees that hold important LEDAC bills hostage, such as the Department of Water, crucial franchise bills, the OFW reintegration bills,” Tulfo said.

“To my colleagues in the minority, maraming maraming salamat po for your confirming your intent to join my committee. But to the minority leader, my good friend, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, it is time that we cooperate so that we may get back to legislating,” he added.

GMA News Online is getting Alan Peter Cayetano's comment and will publish it as soon as it is available.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said 32 Senate committees have yet to be fully convened, and that the matter will be taken up with Zubiri and Alan Peter Cayetano.

“Actually, I don’t really have to stand anymore because the Senate President already responded in the manner that I believe is becoming of the Senate,” Pia Cayetano said.

“Senator Tulfo, madali n’yo naman akong tanungin. Alam n’yo namang kapatid ko si Alan kung may gusto kayong iparating. ‘Wag na ho kayong mag-drama nang may pa-hostage-hostage. ‘Di ho tayo ganito dito,” she added.

“And I certainly hope that you don’t set a precedent kasi I don’t know the Senate President to be that way, I don’t know the majority leader to be that way,” Pia Cayetano said.

“The minority leader doesn’t happen to be here. I can talk to him. ‘Pag in-ignore niya kayo and the next day, wala pa rin, then sige, sabihin n’yo kung gusto n’yo,” she added.

Tulfo again rose and said, “Never po ako nag-drama dito.”

“Halughugin n’yo po ‘yung mga post sa social media. Never n’yo akong nakitang nag-drama o ginamit ’to para mag-grandstanding. Sino angnagda-drama? Tumingin muna kayo sa salamin bago kayo magsalita,” Tulfo said.

Zubiri said the matter of the committee memberships will be taken up with Cayetano. He said the minority leader “hasn’t been feeling well lately.”

He said the Senate can start electing the committee members on Wednesday. –NB, GMA News