Emotions ran high during the pilot episode of Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda or CIA with BA, the newest public service program on GMA 7 featuring veteran lawmakers Senator Alan Peter, Senator Pia Cayetano, and the country’s King of Talk Boy Abunda.
On its premiere episode on February 5, 2023, the program took on a family dispute where a wife was suspecting her husband of having an affair with their niece. This was coupled with the additional accusation that the niece was getting more financial support from the husband than the wife.
The husband, however, maintained that there was no affair to speak of and that the alleged financial support to his niece was in fact short-term loans that he was providing to her.
Sympathizing with the women involved, Senator Pia said the husband should have more consideration for his wife’s feelings and that of his own family because their suspicions might be coming from a place of fear or insecurity.
“Kaya niyo po bang intindihin na kaya ganyan ang asawa niyo ay dahil nakaramdam na siya na nasaktan siya dati, kaya kapag nalaman niya na may binibigyan kayo ng pera nang patago sa kanya, mapapaisip siya na ‘Naku, baka nangyayari na naman,’” she said.
Senator Alan, meanwhile, advised all the parties involved to strive towards forgiveness, and that this could only be achieved when everyone involved owns up to their shortcomings and commits to making up for them.
“Madaling magbati na temporarily lang, pero talagang y’ung resolution kasama din dyan ang repentance. Ang asawa kung tingin niya guilty ka talaga, hindi ka niya mapapatawad nang hindi mo inaamin in public, kasi napahiya na rin siya dahil sa ‘yo e,” he said.
“It is only the truth that will settle this, but we are grateful that they shared their lives with us,” he added.
With the help of the CIA with BA production staff, the conflicting parties were brought before the Lupong Tagapamayapa of Barangay Lower Bicutan in Taguig, where they were able reach an amicable settlement to their dispute. All parties involved also pledged to commit to the agreements set forth in their signed dispute settlement document.
Last Sunday’s episode marked Senator Alan Peter and Senator Pia’s debut outing as on-air legal advisers, and future shows – airing Sundays at 11:30 p.m. on GMA 7 – will help viewers learn more about the country’s laws and how they affected their daily lives.
The sibling senators carry on the legacy of their late father and original Compañero of the airwaves Senator Rene Cayetano, who led and co-hosted the popular legal advice program Compañero y Compañera on radio and television from 1994 to 2001.
Earlier in the episode, co-host Boy Abunda acknowledged Companero’s legacy, saying the show CIA with BA was “inspired” by the late senator’s body of work and impact on the Filipino popular consciousness.
“Kuya Alan, Ate Pia, ang ipapangako natin is that we will work hard para maipagpatuloy ang legacy na naiwan ni Senator Rene,” Abunda said.
