Estrada: House solons’ ‘attacks’ vs senators now ‘too personal’

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday cried foul over the tirades thrown by his counterparts in the House of Representatives, saying they are now becoming personal.

The House and the Senate have been exchanging heated barbs borne out of the controversial signature campaign for Charter change.

READ: Senate, House clash over people’s initiative for Charter change

“Siguro… pigilan na siguro ‘yung pagsasabi ng masyadong atake sa amin. Masyado na yatang personal ‘yung ginagawang atake sa mga senador — that is also not acceptable to us as members of the Senate,” Estrada said in a press conference.

(Maybe our counterparts should stop attacking us. Attacks made against senators are now becoming too personal – this is also not acceptable to us members of the Senate.)

Estrada’s remarks came after an alleged comment from a certain House lawmaker supposedly insinuating that senators were self-righteous.

Later in the press conference, Estrada repeated that his fellow senators are only doing their sworn mandate.

“Ginagawa lang naman namin ang trabaho. We cannot stop naman our colleagues from holding committee hearings [on] this controversial issue regarding this people’s initiative. Karapatan ng isang senador na mag-conduct ng hearing para malaman natin ang buong katotohanan kung ano talaga ang nag transpire sa hearing na ‘yun,” said Estrada.

(We are only doing our job. We cannot stop our colleagues from holding committee hearings on this controversial issue regarding this people’s initiative. It’s a senator’s right to conduct a hearing for us to know the whole truth.)

The senator believes that the supposed rift between the two chambers of Congress can still be resolved without needing to come to the point of shouting or cursing at each other.

When asked if President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should intervene, Estrada said the Chief Executive could, but he also noted that the two chambers could “fix it in our own.”

“Pwede naman sigurong mag-usap ang dalawang leader na tama na. Tigilan na natin ‘to, let’s work, work and work,” said Estrada.

(Maybe the two leaders can talk and put an end to this. Let us end this, let’s work, work, work, and work.)

Estrada earlier offered to talk to their counterparts in the lower chamber, seeking to end the rising tension between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

READ: Senator wants to reach out to House over ‘intense assault’ reso

His suggestion came after their counterparts adopted House Resolution No. 1562, a measure expressing support to Speaker Martin Romualdez amid “intense assault from the Senate.”