HOUSE trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong on Sunday appealed for the continued progress of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, even as the Senate pursues its inquiry into the alleged flood control scam.
Alonto Adiong said the Senate’s move to resume the flood control probe ahead of the impeachment trial has prompted public discussion on how the chamber is sequencing its major responsibilities.
“Mag-uumpisa na uli yung imbestigasyon sa flood control pero ‘yung paglilitis kay VP Sara ay nakabimbin pa,” Alonto Adiong, a House Assistant Majority Leader and chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, said, concerned government agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman, should be allowed to do their work to prevent confusion.
He said the new Senate majority apparently wanted to create noise so that public attention would be focused on anomalous flood control projects and the personalities involved instead of the Vice President’s actual trial when it begins.
“That is I believe the narrative they want to pursue. Gusto nilang matabunan ‘yung paglilitis,” he stressed.
He added that he understands that the issue of accountability is involved in both the flood control scam investigation and the impeachment trial.
“But what is more important, the accountability of the nation’s second highest-ranking official or the accountability of lesser-ranked officials?” Alonto Adiong asked.
He said there is also the issue of the manner through which the Senate flood control scam investigation subcommittee was formed, which former Senate president and now Minority Leader Tito Sotto claimed was “illegal” as it should have been approved in plenary.
“That shows that they want to rush things. The claim of Senator Sotto is consistent with the minority’s allegation that the online voting amendment was being rushed for fugitive Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa,” he said.
Earlier, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairman Jude Acidre on Saturday questioned the timing of the creation of a Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee on flood control projects chaired by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
Acidre warned that it could divert public attention from the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and duplicate matters already under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Ako pareho ako ng katanungan ng marami. Bakit kaya pinipilit nila na gawin ito sa panahong ito ngayon? Alam naman natin kung ano at saan nakatuon ang atensyon ng taumbayan,” Acidre told the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
He said allegations involving flood control projects have already been examined in previous congressional hearings and are now undergoing review by the Ombudsman.
“Tutal nandoon na rin naman ang proseso sa Ombudsman, which is the proper forum. And I think everybody will agree that is the proper forum,” Acidre said.
