Several House leaders and lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Thursday said the so-called Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is clearly weaponizing the flood control investigation to target lawmakers supporting the immediate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, rather than pursue genuine accountability or pass legislation.
Some senators allied with then-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano proceeded with a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday despite the seeming Cayetano’s ouster on Wednesday and the subsequent reconstitution of the committee under Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.
In a statement, Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said the flood control investigation is “an obvious attempt to discredit the House of Representatives as an institution and undermine the credibility of those tasked by the Constitution to prosecute the impeachment case against Duterte.”
He said there is a clear pattern in the committee’s recent actions: linking House lawmakers who supported Duterte’s impeachment to corruption allegations even without first presenting clear evidence to support such claims.
“Among those singled out and accused are House prosecutors Rep. Gerville Luistro, Rep. Joel Chua, Rep. Leila de Lima, and Rep. Terry Ridon, as well as House impeachment spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto-Adiong. Other House leaders and members identified with the impeachment proceedings have likewise been dragged into the narrative,” Ortega noted.
“Before the impeachment court can even convene, before a single witness can testify, and before a single piece of evidence can be formally presented, an effort is already underway to poison public perception against the House and the officials who will participate in the impeachment process,” he added.
He said no amount of diversion can prevent the truth from emerging in the proper constitutional forum.
“The House of Representatives will not be intimidated. The House prosecutors will not be distracted. And the constitutional process must not be derailed by a campaign designed to influence the outcome of an impeachment trial before it even begins,” he said.
In a separate statement, Ridon said House prosecutors would not be derailed by false testimony, political distraction and an unauthorized Senate Blue Ribbon Committee proceeding.
“Kasinungalingan ang testimonya ni Jowly Cadiao. Walang maleta na idineliver sa akin sa kahit anumang panahon o sa kahit saan mang lugar (Cadiao’s testimony is a lie. There is no luggage delivered to me on any occasion or in any place),” Ridon, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, stressed.
“Tandaan: tuloy ang impeachment trial. Walang kasinungalingan o gawa-gawang testimonya ang makapipigil sa House prosecution panel na magtuloy sa paglalahad ng katotohanan sa paglilitis ng Pangalawang Pangulo (Remember: the impeachment trial will continue. No lie or fabricated testimony can prevent the House prosecution panel in continuing to present the truth in the trial of the ice President),” he added.
Meanwhile, House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of the 1st District of Lanao del Sur said the allegations raised by 18 former Marines at the Senate were a false and deliberate distraction from the coming impeachment trial.
“I categorically deny all their accusations against me. Wala akong tinanggap na maleta, pera, o anumang bagay mula kaninuman, at wala rin akong pinulot kahit saan (I did not receive any luggage, money or anything from anybody, nor have I picked anything up anywhere),” Adiong, House Assistant Majority Leader and chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, said.
Adiong characterized the Senate appearance of the 18 former Marines as a political performance meant to generate noise, damage perceived critics and pull attention away from the impeachment process.
The lawmaker also questioned the selectiveness of the list read during the proceedings, suggesting that names were being dragged into the controversy based on political lines rather than credible evidence.
Adiong said the allegations would not intimidate him, describing them as baseless accusations and recycled narratives designed to unsettle those who support accountability.
“Hindi tayo nagpapasindak. Hindi ako natatakot sa mga sinungaling (We will not be intimidated. I am not afraid of liars),” he said.
In another statement, members of the Makabayan bloc condemned the use of the so-called “Blue Ribbon Committee” hearing as a platform for political demolition jobs, unsubstantiated accusations and manufactured narratives against progressive leaders and former Makabayan representatives.
Reps. Sarah Elago, Antonio Tinio, and Renee Co expressed concern over hearings being conducted amid the ongoing leadership dispute in the Senate.
“Sa gitna ng nagpapatuloy na sigalot sa liderato ng Senado, nakababahala na may mga pagdinig na itinutulak sa ilalim ng kaduda-dudang awtoridad at pagkatapos ay ginagamit upang magpakalat ng mga alegasyong walang sapat na ebidensya. Kahiya-hiya sa mamamayan ang isang hearing na batbat ng tsismis, haka-haka, at pampulitikang agenda (Amid the continuing leadership dispute in the Senate, it is alarming that there are hearings being pushed under a questionable authority to spread unsubstantiated allegations. It is shameful to the public for a hearing covered with rumors, speculations and political agenda)” they said.
The Makabayan bloc said the developments were proof of what it described as dirty politics.
“Ito ang pinakamalinaw na patunay na maruming pamumulitika ang nagaganap. Weather-weather ang kanilang mga akusasyon. Hindi ito seryosong imbestigasyon kundi isang demolition job na nakabalot sa anyo ng Senate hearing This is the clearest proof that hat is happening is dirty politics. The accusations depend on the timing. It is not a serious investigation but a demolition job disguised a s a Senate hearing),” the group said.
The bloc also denied attempts to link it to the flood control scandal, saying that Makabayan has no flood control projects or infrastructure allocations.
“The Makabayan bloc will not be intimidated by fabricated allegations, political harassment, or smear campaigns. Patuloy naming igigiit ang katotohanan at pananagutan habang naninindigan kasama ng mamamayan laban sa korapsyon at pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan (We will continue to assert truth and accountability as we stand with the people in fighting corruption and abuse of power).” (PNA)