Senators Raffy Tulfo and Pia Cayetano traded barbs on Tuesday, Aug. 11 over a dispute on the membership of Senate committees, after Tulfo accused Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano of delaying legislative work by withholding minority senators from joining the panels.

Tulfo said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano's inaction was holding up key bills, including measures creating the Department of Water; franchise bills; and legislation on the reintegration of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Senator Pia Cayetano called out Tulfo and told him that he could have raised the issue directly with her, being Senator Alan's sister.

“Madali niyo naman ho akong tanungin, alam niyo namang kapatid ko si Alan (You can easily ask me, you know Alan's my brother),” she said.

She objected to Tulfo's description of the committee membership issue as being held “hostage”, and said that such language was not customary in the Senate.

“Hindi po tayo ganito dito (We're not like this),” she said, adding that in her 19 years as a senator, she could not recall anyone speaking that way in the chamber.

Tulfo rejected the criticism and denied using the Senate floor for grandstanding.

“Never po ako nag-drama dito. Simula nung ako'y maging senador, never ever po ako nagsinungaling o nag-drama rito (I have never engaged in drama here. Since I became a senator, I have never, ever lied or created drama here),” Tulfo said.

“Sino ang nag-drama? Tumingin muna kayo sa salamin bago kayo magsalita (Who is the one creating drama? Look in the mirror first before you speak),” he added.

The exchange followed Tulfo's earlier complaint that his staff had repeatedly gone to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano's office to secure approval for minority senators to join committees chaired by Tulfo. He said the lawmakers were willing to sign their membership but were waiting for the minority leader's authorization.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the chamber still had 32 committees that had yet to be fully convened because of incomplete membership.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said he would coordinate with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to resolve the issue.

However, he noted that the minority leader had not been feeling well.

Zubiri said he expected the matter to be settled by Wednesday so the Senate could proceed with electing committee members and acting on committee reports.