TWO House leaders defended the chamber from attacks made by senators during their individual explanations of vote on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, urging members of the upper chamber to uphold interparliamentary courtesy and refrain from resorting to personal insults against members of the House of Representatives.
Deputy Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chairman and Manila Rep. Joel Chua were responding to remarks made on the Senate floor, including calls from Sen. Imee Marcos to replace Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and insinuations from Sen. Chiz Escudero that the impeachment process was driven by personal politics.
“We will not be provoked by anyone to drag this issue to the level of gutter talk. Kami, nirerespeto po namin ang aming opisina at institusyon na aming nire-representa. Kung ibang opisyal po ay hindi ho nila binibigyan ng respeto ang kanilang opisina, that’s their prerogative,” Adiong said.
“But we will not allow this discussion, this important discussion which is the public clamor for accountability, be made as a form of joke, to trivialize it by way of attacking personalities. Hindi ho namin ia-allow ‘yun,” he added.
“And I hope our counterpart in the Senate will still maintain the proper decorum and extend parliamentary courtesy,” Adiong said.
Adiong said the House had consistently observed respect and protocol, even in the face of serious allegations against the Vice President.
“Since the start of this issue on the impeachment, their allegations of corruption, the acknowledgement receipts, the threatening the lives of the sitting President, First Lady and the Speaker, wala ho kayong narinig ni isa sa amin na ininsulto ang mga nakaupong huwes, mga nakaupong senador,” he noted.
“Never. And we never did that, we will never do that,” Adiong said.
He stressed that the House expected the same courtesies from the Senate, especially in public discourse involving the Speaker and the institution.
“If the issue really is about technicalities, then let’s focus on technicalities. If the issue is about accountability, the prosecution team is more than willing to present to the impeachment court their evidences and suggestions,” he stressed.
Adiong added that the recent remarks only reflect the character of those making them.
“So I would hope that those insinuations should be stopped because they’re uncalled for and it will do no good to anyone. It only reflects the character of the one saying it,” he stated.
Addressing Marcos’ statement that the House should replace Speaker Romualdez, Adiong said the matter had already been resolved by a unanimous vote.
“Our decision is based on what the Speaker has delivered. We delivered 100% of the LEDAC priorities. He is inclusive, he listens to all concerns, and he actually inspired us to work harder as representatives,” Adiong said.
He added that personal insults had no place in a discussion centered on accountability.
“As to exactly what would be my personal opinion, sabi ko nga I have personal opinion on each of these senators but I kept it to myself. I would just like to borrow her own words ‘to make patol is human, to dedma is divine,” he said.
“So dedma na lang kami, basta sa amin si Speaker Martin Romualdez delivered and we will still continue to support him and his leadership,” Adiong said.
Chua, for his part, said the House would not stoop to personal attacks and would continue to respect the Senate.
“Kami po kasi hindi po kami nagre-resort sa mga ad hominem. So kami po ginagalang po namin ang Senado bilang isang institusyon. Kaya kami po magtatrabaho lamang ho dito sa Kongreso,” Chua said.
He pointed out that the issue remains the unexplained use of confidential funds.
“Ang nire-representa namin dito ay ‘yung taong-bayan at ‘yung taong-bayan po ay nanatili pong nagtatanong. At tinatanong po ng taong-bayan kung nasaan po napunta yung mahigit kalahating bilyong piso na nawawala po,” Chua said.
Chua noted that focusing on the Speaker deflects from the public’s demand for answers.
“Tinatanong rin po ng taong-bayan kung saan at kung sino si Mary Grace Piattos. So ito po hindi po ito mareresolba sa pamagitan po ng pag-atake sa aming House Speaker dahil ang issue po dito ay accountability,” Chua said.
“Ang pagpili ng Speaker ay internal ng House at ang House ay nagsalita na by unanimous vote. Pero hindi naman ito ang issue dito. Ang issue dito ay accountability. So amin pong paniniwala ito ang dapat muna ang maresolba,” Chua said.
About the Author
