Manila: The Senate should keep public attention on evidence and the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte instead of allowing conspiracy theories and unverified allegations to dominate a constitutional process that will test public trust in institutions, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair made the appeal after the controversy over Sen. Imee Marcos' Charter change (Cha-cha) video in plenary, claiming that former Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III and House leaders were allegedly discussing Charter change (Cha-cha) through constitutional assembly, an allegation that triggered objections from senators who called the material propaganda and fake news.
'At kaya nga ang challenge namin sa Senado, with all due respect sa mga kaibigan namin sa Senado, is dapat sana nakatuon na lang 'yung attention natin dun sa facts, 'yung mangyayari sa impeachment trial. Kasi 'yun naman dapat ang kailangan nating resolbahin sa ngayon (That's why our challenge to our friends in Senate is for them to just focus their attention on the facts, on what will happen at the impeachment trial. Because that's what we really need to resolve now),' Acidre said in a televised interview.
'Para kung anumang crisis sa leadership, anumang crisis sa politika ang meron ngayon, masaayos natin on the basis of evidence. Hindi 'yung tatakutin natin 'yung tao, hindi kung anu-anong conspiracy theory (So that whatever leadership or political crisis that's happening now, we can resolve on the basis of evidence. Not by scaring the people and not through conspiracy theories),' he stressed.
Acidre said the Senate controversy reflected a pattern in which accusations can be aired before proof is presented. 'We're quite frustrated, we're quite disturbed na (that) in the Senate itself, it has become fashionable to accuse before you present proof,' he said.
He described the video presented at the Senate alleging a Charter change plot as 'political fiction' that lacked verifiable evidence and appeared to be timed to draw public attention away from the impeachment trial of the Vice President. 'Well, sa totoo lang, tinawag nga namin (in truth, we call it) political fiction. Kasi (Because) how else would you call a story that's basically baseless, that's being promoted to elicit a certain reaction from the people?' Acidre said.
The lawmaker said the leap from an alleged discussion on constitutional change to a supposed plan to extend the term of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was irresponsible, especially when the country's attention should be fixed on a constitutional proceeding already before the Senate. He said Charter change has not been part of current discussions in either chamber, which made the sudden introduction of the issue even more questionable. 'Hindi naman napag-uusapan ang Charter change (Charter change has not been discussed). Not in the House, not in the Senate,' Acidre said.
He said the better course is for the Senate to keep the focus on the impeachment evidence rather than allow unverified claims to inflame public anxiety. 'I think it's a clear effort to deflect the attention of the public sa mga issue na dapat pinag-uusapan ngayon (to the issues that should be discussed now),' he said.
He added that public officials should calm the country during a tense period instead of feeding suspicion without evidence. 'It does not serve our democracy to have our political atmosphere, our political climate right now, ma-aggravate pa (that is further aggravated) by irresponsible statements by people who are supposed to do our job of calming the people, assuring the people that democracy is strong in this country,' he said.
