LAWMAKERS on Tuesday expressed their Valentine’s Day wishes for Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and one of them is for the senator to be humble enough to realize that he hurt the feelings of many members of the House of Representatives.

Villanueva earlier took the Senate floor to seemingly belittle the significance and status of lawmakers in the House on the account of votes received compared to senators, using the analogy of comparing “lemons to oranges.”

“Since we are celebrating Valentine’s Day this February, I hope he (Villanueva) would be more, you know, more humble enough to, humble enough to realize that your words can cut deeper than swords. And so I would like to, probably my message to him is, have a very nice Valentine’s Day with your partner,” said Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, in a press conference.

He said that since February is the month of love, the emotion should fill the halls of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“I think we’re celebrating every February, we’re celebrating love. But love goes two ways. It should not be one way. It should be reciprocated. So love is partnership. Love is humility. Love is about sharing your life with another,” Adiong said.

“You put that context in the way the legislature is framed under the Constitution. We have two chambers in the House, the House of Representatives and the Senate … The balance of that is parliamentary courtesy. Now you may define that as love … That’s part of love is respect and humility,” he added.

Adiong was joined in the media conference by Deputy Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez,

Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson F. Khonghun, La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V, and Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Inno” A. Dy V.

Ortega’s message to senators is also one of love. But for that love to thrive, it should be reciprocated, and the attacks should stop.

“Ang message ko lang sa kanila, we love them very much … Mahal na mahal namin sila kasi kinampanya namin sila. Binoto namin sila. Sinuportahan namin sila. And sabi nga ni Cong. Zia, dapat we should reciprocate the love we are going to be showing and giving to our partners in the Senate,” Ortega said.

“(But) siyempre po, parliamentary courtesy. Hindi naman po pwede na nasa loob ka ng House, nasa loob ka ng Senado, ganito ‘yung sasabihin mo. Pero pag nasa labas ka, merong ibang media outlet na nag-iinterview, personal attacks naman ‘yung ilalabas natin.

He said that parliamentary courtesy should extend beyond their offices.

“Siguro emotions are very high and ‘yun nga lang, we must uphold parliamentary courtesy at the highest form ng kaya nating gawin,” Ortega said.

Khonghun echoed the sentiments of Ortega, saying the Senate should accord the House and its leader, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, parliamentary courtesy and stop the attacks, referring to the ongoing hearing of the Senate on the people’s initiative.

“Hindi naman pupwede na ‘yung kanang kamay mo tumatawag ng pagkakaisa tapos ‘yung kaliwang kamay mo sumusuntok. Kami naman sa House, syempre, pinagtatanggol lang naman namin ‘yung integrity ng House,” Khonghun said.

“At tsaka ‘pag di naman kami sasagot, masyadong bugbog-sarado naman ang Kongreso … So sana tigilan na at tsaka ‘yung sinseridad sa pagtawag ng unity ‘pag sinasabi nila na magkasundo na, sana magkasundo na lang. Hindi pupwede ‘yung ginagawang punching bag ‘yung Kongreso,” he added.

Khonghun said that House members will continue to defend Speaker Romualdez from attacks coming from some senators.

“Hihinto lang siguro ito ‘pag hininto na rin ng Senado ‘yung pang-iinsulto lalong lalo na sa mga leaders ng House. Hihinto lang ito pag tinigilan nila yung pagmamaliit sa mga miyembro ng mababang kapulungan. At hihinto lang ito pag tinigil nila ‘yung pagbabato ng putik sa mga lider namin,” Khonghun said.

“Siyempre, Tatay namin si Speaker dito sa Kongreso. Natural lang na magreact kami. Ipagtatanggol namin siya pag yung tatay namin ay binabato … Magtrabaho na lang tayo. Wag na tayo magbatuhan ng putik. Tigilan na natin ‘yung pang-iinsulto,” he added.

Suarez said that many members of the House of Representatives were hurt by Villanueva’s statements, proof of which are the media statements and privilege speeches of lawmakers.

“Hindi tama yung ginawa niyang pagmamaliit sa mga miyembro ng mababang kapulungan. Hindi tama yung sinabi nyang district representatives lang kayo, partylist lang kayo, at kami nationally elected kami,” said Suarez.

“Hindi po tama ‘yun, especially where the bicameral system of the Legislative branch wherein were both co-equal … Ako ang motto ko na lang pagdating sa mga senador, ‘we will never forget,’” he added.

For his part, Dy said the House and the Senate should just buckle down to work.

“To Sen. Villanueva and of course to our colleagues and friends in the Senate, let’s aim for peaceful negotiations and dialogue. Kung maliit man po ang pagtingin sa amin ni Sen. Villanueva, na hindi po tayo equal, sana ay tutukan na lang natin ang ating trabaho bilang legislators,” he said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco