HOUSE trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong on Thursday raised concern over what he described as efforts to malign House lawmakers involved in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, even before the Senate impeachment trial has begun.
Alonto Adiong said that during the so-called Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, the discussion appears to have shifted from its stated focus on flood control projects to allegations involving members of the House of Representatives, including prosecutors and officials assigned to the impeachment case.
“Ang hearing na ito ay tila hindi na lamang tungkol sa flood control projects,” he said.
“Sa halip, kapansin-pansin na ang mga pangunahing tinatamaan at inaakusahan ay mga miyembro ng Kamara, kabilang ang mga House prosecutors at mga opisyal na may papel sa impeachment proceedings laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte,” he added.
Some senators backing Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s continued Senate presidency proceeded with a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, even after he was ousted by Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday and the committee was subsequently restructured.
During the hearing, 18 ex-Marines accused members of the House prosecution team, former and current lawmakers supporting Duterte’s impeachment, and other personalities of receiving kickbacks linked to the flood control probe.
However, the testimonies did not present concrete evidence, and many of the names were raised only during Thursday’s hearing despite the allegations reportedly circulating since late 2025. The lawmakers involved denied the accusations and questioned their timing.
Alonto Adiong stressed that no impeachment trial has started, no witnesses have been presented before the Senate acting as an impeachment court, and no formal evidence has yet been introduced, but attempts to cast doubt into the credibility of those tasked to prosecute the case are already underway in the guise of a flood control probe.
“Ito ba ay isang lehitimong imbestigasyon, o isang pagtatangka na pahinain ang mga mag-uusig bago pa man magsimula ang paglilitis? Kapag hindi kayang sagutin ang ebidensya, sisiraan na lamang ba ang mga maghahain nito?” he questioned.
The trial spokesperson said this has prompted serious concern over whether the hearings are still a legitimate inquiry into flood control issues or if they are being used to weaken the position of House prosecutors ahead of the impeachment proceedings.
Underscoring that the impeachment is a constitutional process, Alonto Adiong emphasized that House prosecutors are simply performing their mandated duties in presenting the case on behalf of the public.
“Ang impeachment ay isang prosesong itinatadhana ng Konstitusyon. Ang mga House prosecutors ay gumaganap lamang ng tungkuling ipinagkatiwala sa kanila ng batas at ng sambayanan,” he said.
With all the attempts to distract the public from the impeachment, he said the Filipinos’ attention should remain on the substance of the case, particularly the allegations contained in the articles of impeachment and the evidence supporting them, which he said should be examined in the proper forum—the impeachment court.
“Dapat manatili ang pokus sa tunay na isyu: ang mga seryosong alegasyong nakapaloob sa Articles of Impeachment at ang mga ebidensyang sumusuporta rito,” Alonto Adiong said.
“Ang mga usaping ito ay dapat dinggin at timbangin sa tamang forum—ang impeachment court—batay sa katotohanan, dokumento, at ebidensya,” he added.
Alonto Adiong also called on the Filipino people to remain critical on the core issues, saying the public deserves a fair and orderly impeachment trial based on facts, documents, and evidence rather than what he described as attempts to divert attention or discredit those involved in the process.
“Ang sambayanang Pilipino ay nararapat sa isang patas at malinis na paglilitis, hindi sa paglihis ng usapan at hindi sa paninira sa mga taong gumaganap lamang ng kanilang tungkulin sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
