LANAO del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong yesterday called for sobriety and responsibility in public discourse, stressing that serious constitutional matters must be anchored on verified and properly presented information.
Adiong, chair of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, issued the statement after ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said 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,” Adiong said in making the appeal.
Adiong emphasized that while everyone has the right to raise concerns, allegations of this magnitude must be accompanied by properly submitted and authenticated evidence before the appropriate forum.
He noted that recounting what was allegedly seen or relayed by others, without formally presenting the supposed records for scrutiny, risks reducing a constitutional issue 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.
Adiong underscored that the House Committee on Justice conducted extensive hearings on the impeachment complaints against President Marcos, where issues were raised, discussed and deliberated upon 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,” Adiong said.
The Mindanao House leader said the panel’s dismissal of the complaints was the product of hearings and evaluation — not conjecture or political noise.
Adiong warned that floating untested allegations in public, instead of presenting them before the proper body, risks eroding trust in institutions and fueling unnecessary instability.
“Allegations must be proven, not merely repeated,” Adiong said, adding that constitutional processes exist precisely to test claims through evidence, not through intrigue.
While maintaining respect for differing views, Adiong emphasized that accountability must always go hand in hand with fairness.
“Due process is not a technicality. It is a safeguard. It protects everyone — including those making the accusations,” Adiong said.
Tinio alleged that he had seen “records of communications” that would allegedly prove that President Marcos Jr. personally knew and facilitated kickbacks — evidence he said would have been made public had the impeachment complaint against the Chief Executive survived in the House of Representatives.
He also claimed that the supposed documents involved “records of communications” between Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Adrian Bersamin and President Marcos from December 2024 to July 2025, which allegedly detailed where the kickbacks went.
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