Alan Peter Cayetano vs Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

Senator Leila De Lima declares Senator Alan Peter Cayetano 'out of order,' unparliamentary, while Cayetano calls out Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for 'trash talk'Two of the strongest critics of President Rodrigo Duterte faced off with the Chief Executive's staunchest ally in the Senate as a supposed key witness was presented at a Senate hearing on the spate of extrajudicial killings under the new administration.

Senators Leila De Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV took turns against Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte's running mate in the last elections, at the third hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights on Thursday, September 15.

The exchanges happened as Cayetano grilled witness Edgar Matobato to check his credibility as a witness. He said he also wanted to "test" his theories on the motives behind the alleged former Davao Death Squad member's decision to speak about the killings in Davao City when Duterte was still mayor.

The exposé of Matobato – which Malacañang denied – heated the atmosphere at the hearing, but the 3 senators made it more colorful as they, at times, spoke simultaneously, trying to put in the final word.

Cayetano took a swipe at the Liberal Party as he questioned Matobato, accusing De Lima's political party of bringing the witness into the Senate

After the resumption, De Lima apologized to Cayetano for butting in earlier. She, however, explained that the witness was finding it difficult to "appear in a proceeding like this."

But while she was still speaking, Cayetano again butted in – something that De Lima did not take sitting down, this time.

"Let me finish please. I am the chair here. I am the chair here," De Lima said while Cayetano kept on talking.

Referring to Trillanes, Cayetano said: "Madame chair, it's on a different matter. My seatmate here is intimidating me."

"Madame chair, I am trying to ask questions. [But] he told me here, 'Di kita papapormahin,' and then he tells me here, 'Nabubuo pangarap mo, you are defending evil.' So, Madame chair, I'm trying to get to the bottom of this at kung totoo sinasabi, tatabihan 'nyo ko. ita-trash talk 'nyo ko. I never did that to any of my colleagues," he said.

(He told me here, "I won't let you show off," and then he tells me, "You're reaching your dream, you are defending evil." So, Madame chair, I'm trying to get to the bottom of this, then [he] would sit beside me and trash talk me. I never did that to any of my colleagues.)

De Lima suggested that Cayetano just transfer to another seat.

Cayetano responded, "I can move but can you make sure he doesn't follow me?"

Cayetano continued his statements but suddenly stopped, accusing Trillanes of "intimidating" him once more.

He asked De Lima, while putting the plastic nameplate between him and Trillanes: "Can Senator Trillanes stop talking to me? I don't want to talk to him but he keeps talking to me. I will put this (nameplate) between us."

To this, De Lima said: "Senator Sonny can you please transfer?Lipat na lang po. 'Wag na ho kayong magtabi (Please move. Don't sit beside each other)."

In the end, it was Cayetano who transferred to another seat.

Trillanes then responded by hitting Cayetano's continued questioning.

"Masyado mahaba, 'yung pasikot-pasikot, masyadong madaldal. Kumbaga it's quite annoying and irritating already. Sana he gets to the point," Trillanes said.

(It's too long and winding; too talkative. In other words, quite annoying and irritating already. I hope he gets to the point.)