Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Friday said he is seriously considering filing a libel case against the individuals accusing him of receiving cash-filled luggage, saying the controversy has gone beyond a personal attack and is now disrupting the work of the Senate.
Adiong, spokesperson of the House prosecution panel in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, is among the lawmakers accused by a group of 18 former Marines of allegedly receiving cash delivered on behalf of former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
“Nung unang lumabas ‘yan, hindi ko pinansin ‘yan kasi sabi ko sobrang kalokohan naman ‘yan (The first time that came out, I ignored that because I said that’s pure nonsense),” Adiong said in a radio interview.
He said some lawyers had advised him months ago to file a libel complaint, but he initially brushed off the allegations as baseless.
However, Adiong said recent developments, including efforts to elevate the allegations before the Senate, have prompted him to reconsider.
“But now that they have tried to move this to another level, I think I’m now contemplating on filing them a serious charge, libel,” he said.
The House trial spokesperson argued that the issue is no longer merely about individuals being accused but about the Senate being used to advance what he described as a diversionary narrative.
“Parang hindi [lang] nila inatake ‘yung individual na ((It’s like they are not only attacking individuals who are) perceived to be their enemies, but they’re also hostaging the Senate,” Adiong said.
The lawmaker said the implications go beyond politics because legislative work affecting ordinary Filipinos is being delayed, citing the proposed KALINGA Act, a House-approved measure designed to protect Filipinos from economic shocks, energy crises, and supply disruptions, and other key Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) measures.
“So, this is no longer personal. This is about the country not moving forward. So, it’s pure BS,” he said.
Adiong also questioned why senators who had earlier refused to sign a partial report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee under then-chairman Senator Panfilo Lacson are now pushing for the continuation of the inquiry.
He further noted that the former Marine officers themselves had reportedly declined to execute sworn affidavits as part of the Senate’s official records.
“Eh mismong ang mga Marines, ayaw naman nila mag-sign ng affidavit nila as part of the official record ng Senate. Ayaw nila dahil ayaw nilang makasuan sila ng perjury. Ayaw nila mag-perjure. Anong klase ‘yan (The ex-Marines, themselves, didn’t want to sign their affidavit as part of the official record of the Senate. They didn’t want to because they don’t want to be accused of perjury, they don’t want to perjure. What kind is that)?” Alonto Adiong said.
He maintained that the public has largely rejected the allegations and sees them as an attempt to derail efforts to hold public officials accountable.
“So ang gusto nila is mag-build up ng (So what they want is to build up) PR stunt to derail, to confuse the public and derail itong usapin ng (this issue of) accountability against the Vice President,” Alonto Adiong said.
“But the people knew that these people were nothing but for a PR stunt,” Adiong added. (PNA)