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Boxing icon turned senator Manny Pacquiao once again sparred with Senator Pia Cayetano during the session on Monday, May 24, as he felt “disrespected” when her interpellation on his pet bill creating a new boxing commission had to be rescheduled.

It apparently did not sit well with Pacquiao when Cayetano had left the Senate session hall last Wednesday, May 19 –  the day she was supposed to continue asking him about his bill establishing the Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission.

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Pacquiao had initially struggled defending his pet measure when Cayetano first interpellated him about it a day earlier. 

“Parang nawalan ako ng respeto sa bagay na ‘yun dahil ‘di ako na-inform [na umalis na pala siya]… ‘Yung tinatawag natin ‘yung courtesy lang sana, kung gagawin daw sa’yo ‘yan tapos ibinbin ka, tapos malaman mo wala na pala ‘yung mag-interpellate sayo, naghintay ka. Eh parang iba yung pakiramdam mo, ‘di ba?” said Pacquiao.

(It’s like I was disrespected because I was not informed that she had already left… All I’m asking for is courtesy, because they made me wait, only for me to find out that the person who was supposed to interpellate me was no longer there. You would certainly feel something else, right?)

The tension between the two senators came into light after Cayetano first made a point of inquiry on Monday to confirm if the bills taxing Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are in the Senate’s legislative priorities. 

Cayetano said her preparations as sponsor of the POGO tax bill had been the reason why she eventually left the Senate session hall last Wednesday evening after seeking permission from Senate President Vicente Sotto III. 

“Not all the work that we do is on the floor. If you want me to put it on floor, eh ‘di tatayo ako minu-minuto! Ire-report ko sa inyo ‘yung mga ginagawa ko, pati yung behind the scenes, ire-report ko pa sa inyo?” said Cayetano.

(Not all the work that we do is on the floor. If you want me to put it on the floor, then I would have to stand up all the time! Do I have to report to you every single thing that I do, even the things I do behind the scenes?)

“So I mention this because there’s insinuation that I walked out, that I left, and that’s not fair to my constituents also who I commit to work hard for. Andito ako para magtrabaho. Sumusunod lang naman ako doon sa priorities (I am here to work. I’m just following the priorities),” she added. 

The session on May 19 had been quite busy, as most senators were focused on tackling bills that are in the chamber’s priority list. This was why the resumption of the plenary debates on Pacquiao’s bill had to be pushed back in the evening. 

But by the time Pacquiao was called, Cayetano was no longer in the Senate building. The decision of the Senate plenary then was to reschedule the debates to May 24 instead.

Pacquiao is not the only senator who recently had trouble answering questions thrown at him by his colleagues during the session. 

On Thursday, May 20, Senator Bong Go tried but failed to end Senate debates on the bills renationalizing hospitals, which he failed to defend when interpellated by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.

Timeout called

Cayetano said her staff had informed Pacquiao’s that she had already left the premises last Wednesday evening.

But this was not enough for the newbie senator, saying Cayetano should have informed him before actually leaving the Senate.

But for Cayetano, she did not violate any rules by leaving. 

“Kung alam ko bang ‘yan ang special request ng ating kasamahan, eh ‘di hindi ho ako aalis dito nang hindi nagsasabi sa kanya (If I knew that was the special request of our colleague, then I wouldn’t have left without telling him). But just so you know, I am not violating any rules by doing that,” she said. 

Pacquiao reiterated that Cayetano should have been courteous enough to inform him about his departure ahead of time. He then went on to say that his bill creating a new boxing agency is an “important” measure for him.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri intervened at this point, telling his warring colleagues to have a “timeout.” 

Senate President Vicente Sotto III also tried to diffuse the tension by joking that the problem between Cayetano and Pacquiao is all Zubiri’s fault, since the majority leader decides on the flow of every plenary session.

After laughing at Sotto’s joke, Zubiri explained that in deciding the agenda for the day, it has to be a “balancing act” between the Senate’s priority bills and the individual pet measures of the senators.

He said senators will not always give equal support to the pet bills of their colleagues.

“It’s a difficult position to take because it’s also balancing what is the priority of the chamber with the priority measure of our colleagues. Unfortunately, not all pet bills have the unanimous consensus of the chamber. There are pet bills that are really difficult to pass, I guess particularly like this one of our Pambansang Kamao,” said Zubiri, referring to the “National Fist” moniker of Pacquiao’s in the boxing ring. 

Zubiri then moved for the Senate to proceed to other matters in the day’s agenda. Sotto accepted after no other senator objected to the Majority Leader’s motion. – Rappler.com