MANILA, Philippines – Hindi lamang mga senador ang pumalag matapos na mabanggit ang kanilang mga pangalan sa isinagawang pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na nauukol sa maanomalyang flood control projects.
Agad pinabulaanan ni House Deputy Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong ng Lanao del Sur ang pagkakadawit ng kaniyang pangalan sa umano’y nabigyan ng maleta sa halip ay sinabi niyang distraksyon lamang ito sa nalalapit na impeachebnt trial laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
“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.Hindi ako magpapa-intimidate ng mga walang basehang akusasyon, recycled narratives, o murang political machinations,” ani Alonto at aniya’y balik trabaho na.
Sa panig naman ng Makabayan Bloc kung saan naiugnay sina dating Reps. France Castro (Bayan Muna), Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Partylist) Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Partylsit ) at ngayon ay ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio ay iginiit nilang mga haka-haka, kwento, at pawang insinuations lamang.
“Muli, mariin naming pinabubulaanan ang anumang pagtatangkang iugnay ang Makabayan sa flood control scandal. Walang flood control projects, infrastructure allocations, o project insertions ang Makabayan, kaya wala ring anumang kickback na maaaring matanggap,” ayon naman kina Tinio, Sarah Elago (Gabriela) at Renee Co ng Kabataan Partylist.
Samantala, pumalag din si dating Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers sa paglutang ng kaniyang pangalan sa pagdinig sa Senado sa pagsasabing “sa korte na lang kayo magpaliwanag.”
“While I cannot comment on the case I filed against these people, I would like to point out that the ongoing meeting is a serious political destabilization effort and meant to divert attention from the impeachment of VP Sara to the alleged flood control scandal. The people can discern that the show is about discrediting the House of Representatives as well as the ICC. The proper fora for such show are the local courts under whose jurisdictions the cases now fall and the ICC that has already ruled time and again as to its jurisdiction over complaints against former President Rodrigo Duterte,” giit pa ni Barbers. Meliza Maluntag
