Rep. Zia Alonto
Lanao Del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong expects political backlash after signing the impeachment complaint as a Mindanaoan; however, he could not ignore Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged crimes.
“Well, as someone from Mindanao, alam ko po ‘yan. Naintindihan ko. Hindi ko lang po naiintindihan, nararamdaman ko po. But once you’re elected to an office, you are expected, not only by the Constitution, by the people, to act in certain ways. You have to maintain and uphold the integrity of your office. Ito pong sa impeachment case na ito, these are serious offenses, high crimes committed by the Vice President,” Adiong said in a press conference.
“We cannot be more concerned about the possible backlash that it may cost us politically. Paano ko iharap ang sarili ko sa aking mga botante if I just simply concern myself with the possible popularity that I may get once if I associate myself with who is popular and who has the tendency or the capacity to give me votes in the election? Paano ko po ihaharap ang sarili ko sa aking mga botante if I turned a blind eye on these high crimes that were committed blatantly under the sun? I can no longer turn a blind eye on these allegations and just simply brush it off simply because I am from Mindanao,” Adiong said.
Davao Del Sur Representative John Tracy Cagas was the only Representative from Davao that signed the impeachment complaint.
Meanwhile, Iloilo Representatives Lorenz Defensor, who will serve as one of the prosecutors in the impeachment trial said that they had nothing against those who did not share their sentiments regarding the impeachment complaint.
“We have nothing to say bad about them. Maybe it’s safe to say that for those who did not sign, there are personal dynamics within their jurisdiction that’s why they did not sign. Maybe there are personal relations that they took into consideration whether they will sign or not,” Defensor said in a press conference.
“And we respect that. Marami kaming pumirma. Marami din naman silang hindi pumirma. Kaya masasabi mong walang pilitan at walang regret ang hindi pumirma. Wala rin regret ang pumirma,” he added.
