Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Nancy Binay argue during the Senate hearing in Pasay City on July 3, 2024 on the review of the new Senate Building Project in Taguig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Senate Committee on Ethics convened its organizational meeting Wednesday to approve its rules, which include a conciliation mechanism that could lead to an amicable resolution to the complaint that Sen. Nancy Binay filed against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Binay's ethics complaint stems from Cayetano's comments about her during a hearing of the Cayetano-led accounts committee on the new Senate building project. Binay led the project when she chaired the panel that Cayetano now presides over.

Cayetano previously said Binay was sowing chaos, and even made remarks about her sanity.

The complaint itself was not on Wednesday's agenda.

READ: Binay files ethics complaint vs Cayetano

CLOSED-DOOR CONCILIATION

Sen. Francis Tolentino, ethics panel chair, explained that the rules will take effect after they have been published. 

Under the revised rules, the two parties will be called for mediation before the committee holds any hearings. The conciliation will be behind closed doors, though the results will be made public.

"Yes, mediation to reach an amicable settlement," Tolentino said of the conciliation meetings.

Tolentino said a hearing will only be called should conciliation fail. 

Binay open to talk with Cayetano on Senate building issue

He said that conciliation could help clear the air after tense debates and confrontations.

"There are outbursts — there are things that probably can be said due to passion and the emotional combustion in a setting which can probably be clarified in a more friendly atmosphere bakit ko nasabi ito. Nag-apologize na rin naman 'yung isa 'di ba?" he said.

He said that the meetings could help parties reach an understanding before formal hearings are launched.

Tolentino added that these will be done behind closed doors because "there are matters which we will leave to the complainant and the other person that should be settled on a personal basis."

The senator is confident that the feud between the lawmakers — which Binay has claimed to be a continuation of Cayetano's crusade against her father former Vice President Jejomar Binay from when he was Makati mayor — may be settled amicably.

"Positive naman ako mararangal na tao 'yung mga kausap ko at naintindihan nila 'yung kahalagahan ng pagkakaisa muli," Tolentino said.

(I am positive that these are honorable people who understand the importance of unity and of settling this issue)

The ethics committee has 7 members, which includes Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III.

"The main actors sa ethics investigation is the chairperson si Senator Tolentino. I am just a member we will be fair as usual and we can be fair pareho naman nating matagal nang kasama si Senators Alan Peter at saka si Senator Nancy Binay. We will be fair basahin natin sa merit of the complaint and of course the merit of the comment," Pimentel said.

 "Ang aming chairman si Senator Tolentino naglagay ng conciliatory procedures sa rules ng committee on ethics so I hope mag-work ito," he also said. 

Tolentino said aside from this case, the panel is also considering Senator Raffy Tulfo's case for an advisory opinion on his possible commercial endorsement of products.