A House leader on Friday urged restraint and responsibility in public discourse, saying serious constitutional issues must be based on verified and properly presented evidence.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong issued the statement after ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio claimed he had seen “records of communications” allegedly linking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to kickbacks from supposed anomalous insertions in the national budget.
“Ako, I have always been consistent in saying that we should only talk about verified information. Ang hirap po kasi sabi nung isa, ‘yung isa ang magpapaliwanag.’ Sabi nung isa, ‘yung isa naman,” said Adiong, chair of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms,
(It’s difficult because one says the other will explain, while the other says it’s the first one’s turn.)
The Lanao solon stressed that while lawmakers are free to raise concerns, allegations of such gravity must be supported by authenticated evidence and formally submitted before the proper forum.
He said merely recounting what was allegedly seen or relayed by others, without presenting the documents for scrutiny, risks reducing a constitutional matter into speculation.
“These are serious accusations. Kung may ebidensiya, may tamang proseso para rito. Let us allow institutions to function as they should,” he said.
(If there’s evidence, there’s a correct process for this.)
Adiong noted that the House Committee on Justice had conducted extensive hearings on the impeachment complaints against Mr. Marcos, where issues were raised and deliberated in accordance with House rules and constitutional standards.
“We had a very extensive hearing regarding the impeachment case against the President. With all due respect to our colleagues in the House of Representatives — that was your opportunity to substantiate your claims,” he said.
The Mindanao lawmaker said the panel’s dismissal of the complaints was based on hearings and evaluation, not conjecture or political noise.
He warned that airing untested allegations in public, instead of presenting them before the appropriate body, could erode trust in institutions and fuel instability.
“Allegations must be proven, not merely repeated,” Adiong said, adding that constitutional processes exist to test claims through evidence.
“Due process is not a technicality. It is a safeguard. It protects everyone — including those making the accusations,” he added.
