Escudero on Cayetano-Zubiri squabble: No reason to discipline them

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Wednesday said he sees no reason to discipline Senators Allan Peter Cayetano and Juan Miguel Zubiri over their heated altercation at the chamber’s plenary hall on Tuesday night.

Their squabble went viral, with Cayetano even seen squaring up against Zubiri while they were arguing.

READ: Cayetano, Zubiri trade barbs over reso on Embo barangays

Escudero brushed off the incident, saying it was “quite human and natural for them to be emotional in regard to their advocacies” and they were able to “patch it up” just minutes after.

“Wala akong nakikitang rason o dahilan para gawin ‘yon, dahil gaya ng sabi ko, tao lang naman na minsan lumalabas ‘yung bugso ng damdamin kaugnay sa kanilang paniniwala at adbokasiya at natapos din naman ‘yan matapos ang ilang minuto kung saan naghingian sila ng tawad sa isa’t isa,” Escudero said in a chance interview in Malacañang when asked if Cayetano and Zubiri will be disciplined for their conduct.

(I don’t see any reason or need to do that, because like I said, they are only humans, and sometimes they can’t control their emotions if related to their beliefs and advocacies. And it ended after a few minutes when they apologized to each other.)

“Naki-eksana na rin ako, humingi ako ng tawad dahil mahabahaba ang oras naming pagtatrabaho nitong nagdaang linggo dahil sa mga panukalang batas na hinahabol namin. Nangyari ‘yung insidente mag-nine na, so medyo pagod na rin ‘yung miyembro at medyo gabi na,” he added.

(I also approached them and I apologized because we’ve been working long hours this past week because of the bills we’re pursuing. The incident happened around 9 p.m., so the members were also quite tired and it was late at night.)

Zubiri and Cayetano traded barbs on the adoption of a resolution seeking to include 10 Embo barangays in the two legislative districts of Taguig and Pateros and confirming the increase in the number of councilors in each area for fair and equitable representation.

Zubiri questioned why the measure would be tackled in the hearing as it was not on the daily agenda, which resulted in the two battling it out.