Cayetano ‘very sentimental’ on ‘last day’ as senator

Camille Elemia

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Cayetano ‘very sentimental’ on ‘last day’ as senator
A 'dependable ally' yet an 'irritating enemy,' is how Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is described

MANILA, Philippines – With his expected swift confirmation, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is relishing his apparent last day as senator on Tuesday, May 16.

Cayetano, who was nominated to be the next Foreign Affairs secretary, said he would miss the chamber that has been his home for the past decade.

“Very sentimental kasi life’s work ko na ang legislation. I’ve been in government for 25 years. Yung brother ko nag-text kanina with emoticons na umiiyak, after 19 years of having Cayetano in the Senate … mawawalan,” Cayetano told reporters in an interview.

(I’m very sentimental because legislation has been my life’s work. I’ve been in government for 25 years. My brother even texted me earlier with crying emoticons, saying after 19 years of having a Cayetano in the Senate, it will now be gone.)

Halo-halong feeling (Mixed feelings). It’s overwhelming humbling feeling,” he added. His sister, former senator Pia Cayetano, is now a member of the House of Representatives.

The powerful Commission on Appointments is set to hear the nomination of Cayetano on Wednesday, May 17. But as early as last week, CA members have already said the senator, who is also part of the body, would have it easy.

CA chairman Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and CA officer Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Cayetano need not formally quit. As soon as he gets confirmed by the CA, he is “deemed resigned.”

Last day na nya ngayon lalabas. I mean hindi na sya kailangan magpaalam bukas. Pagka na confirm na sya automatic na yun,” Sotto said. (It appears today is his last day. I mean he does not need to ask permission tomorrow. Once he’s confirmed, that’s automatic already.)

On mending fences

Cayetano has nothing but good words for his colleagues, some of whom had been his rivals and critics.

“I tell you this not out of generosity but out of sincerity. Ang gagaling ng mga senador natin (Our senators are really good). We don’t always agree with them. Alam nyo naman ako (You know me), I get into arguments with some of them but I believe in their passion, sincerity, dedication to effect real change,” he said.

In the 17th Congress, Cayetano fought with opposition Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Leila de Lima – his former lawyer in the election protest against him – for defending President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody drug war.

Asked if he would mend fences with critics before leaving the Senate, Cayetano said:

“Yung mending fences kasi dito every day yan. Never naman akong namersonal. If you look back at my career, sa House marami rin akong nakabangga but as soon as I became a senator, wala akong inipit sa bills nila. In fact ako pa naglakad sa bills nila when I became education committee chair dahil madaming local bills doon.” (The act of mending fences happens every day. I never took things personally. I even supported the bills of my critics.)

Dependable ally, ‘irritating’ enemy

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who was Cayetano’s rival for the Senate presidency, said the latter would be a “big loss.”

“Because he has been busy in international affairs in preparatory to his appointment, we have been missing his presence. But whenever he is present in the Senate he always participates in discussions. He contributes his ideas to the discussions. He will be a big loss to the Senate,” Pimentel said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the Senate would miss Cayetano. He said Cayetano is a dependable ally but could also be a “bad and irritating” enemy.

“Major committee ang hawak niya, foreign relations. At saka pag narito siya active naman siya. Si Alan, mabuting kasama pero nakakainis na kaaway. Di masama, nakakainis,” Lacson said.

“Ang proceedings nakikita nyo naman even during the last congresses, pag di kayo magkapartido, medyo irritating. Pero kung kapartido mo, nakakapahinga ka kasi siya gumagawa ng trabaho ng majority,” he added. (You have witnessed the proceedings here. If you don’t belong to the same party, you’d find him irritating. But if you’re in the same party, then you can relax since he does the work of the majority.) – Rappler.com

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Camille Elemia

Camille Elemia is a former multimedia reporter for Rappler. She covered media and disinformation, the Senate, the Office of the President, and politics.