Zubiri and Cayetano butt heads over EMBO resolution

September 25, 2024 | 5:21pm

MANILA, Philippines — Tensions flared as Sens. Juan Miguel Zubiri and Alan Cayetano butted heads over a concurrent resolution for the EMBO barangays. 

The 10 EMBO barangays were part of the territory dispute between Taguig City and Makati City. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Taguig, which is the bailiwick of Cayetano. Following the dispute, Cayetano was concerned that the citizens will not have a legislative district in the upcoming elections, therefore filing Senate Concurrent Resolution 23.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 23 would include the EMBO barangays in the legislative districts of Taguig and Pateros. 

The Senate eventually adopted the resolution, but not without a word war between Cayetano and Zubiri. 

Zubiri said that his initial understanding of the situation was that a new law was being passed to create a district. He was in the office at 9 p.m. on Tuesday when he was informed that they were deliberating a document for the Embo barangays.  

During the plenary session, Zubiri protested that the senators were not informed ahead of time that such a resolution was on the table for that night’s plenary session.  

In a now viral video posted on the Bilyonaryo News Channel, the two senators could be seen yelling at each other during the suspension of plenary proceedings. 

Things almost became physical, with Sens. JV Ejercito and Pia Cayetano had to step in between the two men. Pia, who is Alan’s sister, could be seen hugging her brother to calm him down.  

While there is little context as to what they are fighting about specifically, Cayetano seemed angry that if it was Zubiri’s turf, he was always “nakiki-usap” or working on agreements with Cayetano. 

When the session resumed, the two seemed to have made up. 

“Siguro naman, 1998 ko pa kasama si Senator Zubiri. So siguro naman we are entitled to one heated argument, which is tonight,” Cayetano said. 

(Perhaps, I have been with Senator Zubiri since 1998. So maybe we are entitled to one heated argument, which is tonight.) 

In a press briefing the following day. Zubiri said that the two have already “kiss and make up.” 

“I’m a stickler for rules. Old school, ika nga. Actually rules and traditions is what keeps us from fighting. Without that, we will all be neanderthals and we will hit each other in the head with clubs,” Zubiri said.