Senator Robin Padilla on Monday took issue with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla’s statement last week that he ignored a summons in connection with its probe into Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s alleged escape.

Padilla insisted the claim was untrue as he displayed what he said was the original copy of his affidavit. He took the podium shortly after the opening of the seventh day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to denounce Remulla’s remarks.

His statement was met with an objection from Sen. Erwin Tulfo, who argued that matters unrelated to the impeachment should not be discussed during the trial to avoid further delays, citing similar incidents in recent weeks.

Tulfo lamented that the impeachment court was being used by some senator-judges to “defend themselves,” even though it was convened solely to hear the impeachment case against the vice president.

Before Tulfo raised his objection, Padilla addressed Remulla’s statement issued Friday, in which the Ombudsman said the senator had effectively ignored his office’s summons by failing to submit a counter-affidavit in response to the complaint filed by Tindig Pilipinas in early June.

“What the honorable Ombudsman said was that I failed to comply with their directive to file my counter-affidavit. This is disheartening because it is not true,” Padilla said in Filipino.

He also criticized members of the media for, as he put it, accepting Remulla’s “propaganda.”

“I ask my colleagues, especially my friend, the Senate President, to help explain to the media that we also have the opportunity to defend ourselves and should not be immediately judged as disregarding the law,” Padilla said.