Zubiri lectures solons: We are legislators, we don’t act like presidents

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri. Senate PRIB file photo / Bibo Nueva España

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday appealed to their counterparts in the House of Representatives to refrain from throwing allegations against fellow lawmakers, saying it’s not good for parliamentary courtesy.

Zubiri made the remark in a plenary session days after Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co linked Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva to the pork barrel scam.

“Nakakatawa ang mga paratang ng isang miyembro ng mababang kapulungan sa ating kasamahan. I hope our friends in the House are circumspect. Hindi maganda ang mga paratang na ganyan,” said Zubiri.

(The allegations made by a member of the lower house against our colleague are laughable. I hope our friends in the House are circumspect. Allegations like that are not good.)

“It is not good for parliamentary courtesy. Tayo dito ay nagtatrabaho na po. Ang dami na nating naipasa at ngayong araw na ito may ipapasa tayo para sa masang Pilipino,” he emphasized.

(It is not good for parliamentary courtesy. We are already working here. We have already passed a lot and today we will pass a measure for the Filipino people.)

Instead of exchanging heated barbs, Zubiri encouraged both Senate and House lawmakers to focus on easing the burden of Filipinos by means of legislative work.

“We never, as senators, overstep our bounds. We do not act like presidents here, we are all legislators. We do not overstep our powers, we do not overstep our bounds and boundaries. We just do our jobs well,” he added.

Prior to Zubiri’s pronouncement, Villanueva delivered a privilege speech which addressed Co’s allegations.

According to Villanueva, all accusations against him have long been proven wrong. He then jabbed back at Co, saying it was the party-list congressman who had been hiding shady schemes.

He claimed that Co’s Sunwest Corporation is involved in the Pharmally scandal and the controversial DepEd procurement of outdated laptops.

Lawmakers from both chambers of Congress have been entangled in a word war. The tirades were borne out of the controversial signature campaign for the 1987 Constitution, which senators believe are being stirred by their counterparts in the lower chamber.

At present, the Senate is leading talks on economic Cha-cha. This, however, was made pursuant to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive for the upper chamber to review the proposals to amend certain provisions of the Constitution.