Senators clashed on Thursday over the testimony of a confessed assassin, who tagged President Rodrigo Duterte as being behind the bombing of a mosque and killings of several people in Davao City.
A verbal exchange ensued first between Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Leila de Lima when the former asked the witness, Edgar Matobato, who would replace Duterte if the latter was removed from office.
When Matobato could not immediately give an answer, Cayetano questioned how the witness could remember all other names he mentioned except that of Vice President Leni Robredo.
鈥淎hh si Ma鈥檃m Leni Robredo,鈥� the witness finally said during the joint hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, and public order.
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When De Lima, chairman of the justice committee, took the mic to clarify some questions for the witness, Cayetano immediately cut her off and reminded her that she was not Matobato鈥檚 lawyer.
鈥淭he record will speak for itself鈥adam chair, you鈥檙e not his lawyer. You are the chairman of this committee,鈥� Cayetano said.
鈥淚 know,鈥� De Lima shot back.
But Cayetano said, 鈥淗e knows what the question is, huwag na nating turuan. I鈥檝e been a member of Congress for 18 years, hind po kami ini-i-interrupt ng chairman pag kami na ang nagsasalita, pag kami na po ang magtatanong.鈥�
Committee Chair Leila De Lima pacifies Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Antonio Trillanes during the Senate probe on the alleged extrajudicial killings at the Senate in Pasay City. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
The lady senator retorted, saying Cayetano鈥檚 statement was not true.
Cayetano went on, saying, 鈥淵ou can interject but it鈥檚 within my rights Madam chair so may I plead with you, you聽 brought the witness here, nagte-testify sya, I鈥檓 testing his credibility, I鈥檓 testing his motives. Can you just allow me to do it my way?鈥�
De Lima then acceded to Cayetano, who went on to squeeze the witness.
But after a while, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV questioned the lengthy questioning of Cayetano, a non-member of the committee, and moved to declare the latter out of order.
鈥淚鈥檇 just like to inquire if there鈥檚 an 鈥榰nli鈥� (unlimited) questioning allotted for a non-member of the committee? I believe we gave him more than an hour of a leeway for a non-member. That鈥檚 s a luxury鈥︹�� Trillanes said, adding that he might be forced to move to declare Cayetano out of order for consuming the time of the committee.
And when Cayetano insisted on continuing his questioning to the witness, Trillanes made his motion official to declare his colleague out of order.
This prompted De Lima to suspend the proceeding. CDG/rga
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