Amid the brewing tension between Senator Imee Marcos and Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero over a contempt order against a resource person in the hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday, April 11, called for “cooler heads” and a renewed focus on the bigger issue at hand.

“Ang akin lang (For me), cooler heads and eyes on the ball,” Cayetano told reporters when asked about the verbal exchange between his colleagues, which stemmed from Marcos’ media statement that Escudero “refused” to sign the contempt order she pushed during a recent Senate hearing against Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Ambassador Markus Lacanilao.

Cayetano emphasized that the public deserves clear answers on how Philippine authorities should handle the arrest of Filipinos based on foreign-issued warrants.

“Mas focus natin yung findings ng Committee [on Foreign Relations] (We're more focused on the findings of the Committee),” he said.

He warned that legal confusion could happen again, especially with reports of the International Criminal Court (ICC) planning to issue arrest warrants against other Filipino personalities.

“Gusto ba nating may Pilipinong nag-aalala na bigla na lang silang pwedeng damputin at ilagay sa eroplano to fly out? (Do we want Filipinos to worry that they could suddenly be taken and put on a plane to be flown out?)” he said.

“That’s why it’s so important na magka-klaruhan dito [sa hearing] (we clarify everything here),” he added.

During the April 10 Senat panel hearing chaired by Marcos, Lacanilao was cited in contempt for repeatedly denying knowledge of whether or not Duterte had been brought before a competent national judicial authority before being flown to the ICC.

The motion was made by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and approved by Marcos. Tension escalated when Escudero failed to sign the contempt order and ordered Lacanilao’s release, prompting sharp remarks from Marcos.

But for Cayetano, the rift between the two senators is likely a matter of “misunderstanding".

“Ang contention kasi ni Senator Chiz, hindi pa nga niya nakikita [yung contempt order], inuupakan na siya. Si Senator Imee, baka ang tingin niya, dahil nga hindi pinirmahan y’ung mga subpoena noon [ay ganoon din ngayon] (Senator Chiz's contention is that he hasn't even been seen the contempt order yet, and he's already being attacked. As for Senator Imee, she might think that just because the subpoenas weren't signed back then, the same thing applies now),” he explained.

Cayetano hopes that the two senators get a chance to discuss the matter.

“It’s not a matter of sino ang tama o mali (who is right or wrong). It is what it is. Ang point ko lang (My point is), let’s go to the next step. What will we do next?” he added.