Senator Kiko Pangilinan has urged fellow senator Robin Padilla to refrain from being overly sensitive after a recent heated debate in the Senate.
During a statement on Unang Balita this Wednesday, Pangilinan emphasized that intense discussions often lead to raised voices.
He stated, "Don't be thin-skinned. There is no legal basis for that ethics complaint. Let’s wait for his formal complaint."
Pangilinan added that if Padilla proceeds with his complaint, he will respond with a counter-complaint to the Ethics Committee regarding Padilla's alleged breaches of parliamentary rules.
He expressed his refusal to be intimidated by what he described as bullying from fellow senators.
Pangilinan noted, "Bullying won't work on me. There are grounds for filing complaints regarding disrespectful conduct and lack of decorum in the Senate."
He concluded, "I don’t want conflict. I’m not a troublemaker, but I won’t back down from anyone considering frivolous accusations."
Tensions escalated in the Senate on Tuesday during discussions about an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
During the plenary session, Padilla questioned whether senators could shout at one another after a heated exchange.
He stated, "I want to complain about Senator Pangilinan's shouting. Is there a rule that allows us to shout at our fellow senators?"
In a subsequent interview, Padilla indicated he would file a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee if Pangilinan did not apologize.
On Wednesday, Padilla requested that the incident be removed from the Senate record.
He expressed concern about a Muslim senator being shouted at during official proceedings, stating he would not accept such treatment.
Padilla also noted that he did not shake hands with Pangilinan during their encounter, as he believed it should not be part of the Senate record.
In response, Pangilinan reiterated that he would await Padilla's formal complaint to the Ethics Committee.
He emphasized the importance of focusing on more significant issues for the Senate to address.