Pastor-congressman Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. didn't hold back in his response to Senator Imee Marcos' diatribe on House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the House of Representatives in general.

"She was not content to cast her vote. She had to launch a shameful tirade—one that was as factually questionable as it was personally vindictive," Abante said in a statement Thursday, Aug. 7, in reference to Senator Marcos' insinuations and personal attacks against her own first cousin, Romualdez.

Senator Marcos punched down on the congressmen as she explained her vote to archive the House-initiated impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. She mocked them for transmitting the complaint to the Senate and even prodded them to remove Romualdez from his post.

Abante, Manila's 6th district congressman, said Senator Marcos’ language and tone "brought Senate oratory to a whole new low".

He said the "deterioration of serious discourse" in favor of cheap shots reflect poorly on the Senate and strain the relationship between the two houses of Congress.

"In a democracy we can have differing views. But as elected officials who are supposed to set an example for our people, we should recognize that how we present our views can be as important as the substance of our arguments," said the quad-committee (quad-comm) overall chairman.

"There was no need for insults, innuendo, and personal barbs. What the moment required were rational arguments, not reckless theatrics. Sadly, her language was more appropriate for a kindergarten playground, not a legislative chamber," added Abante.

"Isipin nuyo naman. Nasa records ng Senado yan (Think about it. That will be on the Senate records). Her words will now have a place side by side with the eloquent and elegant sentences of greats like Sen. Claro M. Recto. Nakakahiya (it's embarrassing)," he further said.

Abante says Senator Marcos' remarks not only demeans the institution she represents but also "threatens the comity between the legislative chambers that is essential for the passage of meaningful legislation".

Meanwhile, Deputy Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and House Good Government Committee Chairman Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua asked the Senate to uphold interparliamentary courtesy and refrain from resorting to personal insults against members of the House--it's co-equal chamber.

“We will not be provoked by anyone to drag this issue to the level of gutter talk. Kami, nire-respeto po namin ang aming opisina at institusyon na aming nire-representa. Kung ibang opisyal po ay hindi ho nila binibigyan ng respeto ang kanilang opisina, that’s their prerogative,” an irate Adiong said in a press conference Thursday.

(We respect our office and the institution we represent. If other officials choose not to accord the same respect to their own office, that’s their prerogative.)

“But we will not allow this discussion, this important discussion which is the public clamor for accountability, be made as a form of joke, to trivialize it by way of attacking personalities. Hindi ho namin ia-allow ‘yun (We will not allow that),” he added.

“And I hope our counterpart in the Senate will still maintain the proper decorum and extend parliamentary courtesy,” Adiong said.

Chua, for his part, said the House would not stoop to personal attacks and would instead continue to respect the Senate.

“Kami po kasi hindi po kami nagre-resort sa mga ad hominem. So kami po ginagalang po namin ang Senado bilang isang institusyon. Kaya kami po magtatrabaho lamang ho dito sa Kongreso,” Chua said.

(We do not resort to ad hominem attacks. We respect the Senate as an institution. That’s why we will simply do our work here in Congress.)

He pointed out that the core issue remains the Vice President’s unexplained use of P612.5-million confidential funds.

“Ang nire-representa namin dito ay ‘yung taong-bayan at ‘yung taong-bayan po ay nanatili pong nagtatanong. At tinatanong po ng taong-bayan kung nasaan po napunta yung mahigit kalahating bilyong piso na nawawala po,” Chua said.

(What we represent here is the Filipino people, and the people continue to ask questions. The people are asking where the more than half a billion pesos that went missing has gone.)