Go distances from Cayetano’s ‘sipsip’ remark: I’m not part of them

MANLA, Philippines — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Wednesday was quick to shield himself from fellow administration ally House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s “sipsip” remark against those who attended the hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise earlier this week.

“Sigurado hindi ako kasali do’n. Kahit itanong niyo kay, you may ask Speaker Alan Cayetano. Sigurado ako hindi ako kasali diyan sa sinasabi niya,” Go told reporters when asked on the issue.

(I’m sure I’m not part of them, even ask Speaker Alan Cayetano. I’m not part of the people he’s referring to.)

“Para sa akin po marami pong naliwanagan (For me, a lot of things came to light),” he added, referring to the Senate public services committee hearing on ABS-CBN’s franchise, which is set to expire in May this year.

He then urged lawmakers anew to perform their duties and act on bills on the franchise renewal.

“Kaya nga sabi ko, masyado na pong umiinit yung isyu dito sa ABS-CBN so let’s buckle down to work, gawin na lang po natin ang ating trabaho, unahin na lang po natin yung interes ng bawat Pilipino, ng bawat manggagawa ng network ay umpisahan niyo na po yung trabaho, either you approve or you deny,” the senator further said.

(Like I said, the ABS-CBN franchise is a hot issue so let’s buckle down to work, let’s just do our job. Let’s put the interest of the Filipinos and the network’s employees first by working on this, either you approve or you deny.)

This comes after Cayetano criticized the hearing, saying that it was just an “attendance” for those who want to suck up to the media giant.

READ: Cayetano twits ‘sipsip’ individuals amid ABS-CBN franchise woes

Before this, the House speaker questioned the constitutionality of the Senate panel’s move to tackle the franchise of ABS-CBN even before the lower chamber can act on pending bills before it.

He said franchise bills should first emanate from the House of Representatives before it can be heard in the Senate.

Committee chair Senator Grace Poe has repeatedly said that the Senate is exercising its oversight functions, which is provided under the Constitution.

“You know, Speaker Cayetano is a very intelligent politician and he’s been a lawmaker for many years, he should know that it’s in the Constitution that grants both houses the right for oversight. Section 6 Article 21 allows us to conduct hearings in aid of legislation and to find out if the franchise holders are compliant with the agreements that they have with the government,” Poe earlier said in a television interview.

READ: Poe on Cayetano’s ‘sipsip’ criticism: Name-calling cheapens the debate

“I don’t know why they would think this is something out of the ordinary, we’ve conducted hearings with the budget and as well as taxes either simultaneously or ahead of the House,” she pointed out.