Adiong mulls libel suit, says Senate ‘hostaged’ by cash delivery claims

MANILA, Philippines — 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 Duterte, is among the lawmakers accused by a group of 18 alleged former Marine officers of reportedly receiving cash delivered on behalf of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

“When that first came out, I didn’t pay any attention to it because I said it was simply too absurd,” Adiong said in a radio interview over dzBB.

READ: Fr. Flavie’s camp denies, condemns ‘ex- Marines’ cash delivery testimony

He said some lawyers had advised him months ago to file a libel complaint, but he initially brushed off the allegations as baseless.

“Actually, some of my lawyers advised me to file a libel case. I told them to let it go because there was no truth to it. I just brushed it off,” he said.

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.

READ: Sotto, Tulfo to file raps vs ‘ex-Marines’, Baligod over kickback claim

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.

“It appears that they are not only attacking individuals they perceive as their enemies, but are also holding the Senate hostage,” Adiong said.

“They are using the Senate to hold the institution’s work hostage while at the same time diverting attention from the real issue, which is the impeachment proceedings,” he added.

The allegations surfaced during a Senate inquiry pushed by a bloc led by former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Adiong has repeatedly described the accusations as a public relations effort aimed at diverting attention from the impeachment trial of Duterte.

He expressed frustration that the controversy was consuming Senate time and delaying action on key Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) measures that could benefit Filipinos.

He specifically cited the proposed Kalinga Act, a House-approved measure designed to protect Filipinos from economic shocks, energy crises and supply disruptions.

“They’ve been hostaging the Senate session na hindi nila in-approve o napag-usapan ang counterpart measures ng Kalinga Act,” he lamented.

The congressman said the implications go beyond politics because legislative work affecting ordinary Filipinos is being delayed.

“So this is no longer personal. This is about the country not moving forward,” Adiong said. “So it’s pure BS.”

Adiong also questioned why senators who had earlier refused to sign a partial report of the Senate blue ribbon committee under then-chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson are now pushing for the continuation of the inquiry.

“Why? Because they didn’t want to. They refused. That’s why the blue ribbon committee’s partial report, chaired by Sen. Ping Lacson, was discussed today — they refused to sign it. And now that they have taken control of the Senate leadership, they are pushing for the continuation of the investigation,” he said.

He further noted that the former Marine officers themselves had reportedly declined to execute sworn affidavits as part of the Senate’s official records.

“Even the Marines themselves refused to sign their affidavits as part of the Senate’s official records. They didn’t want to because they could be charged with perjury. They didn’t want to commit perjury. What kind of situation is that?” 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.

“What they want is to build up a PR stunt to derail the process, confuse the public, and divert attention from the issue of accountability involving the vice president,” Adiong said.

“But the people knew that these people are nothing but for PR stunt,” he added.