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.<\/p>\n
The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair made the appeal after the controversy over Sen. Imee Marcos\u2019 Charter change (Cha-cha) video in plenary, claiming that former Senate President Vicente \u201cTito\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt kaya nga ang challenge namin sa Senado, with all due respect sa mga kaibigan namin sa Senado, is dapat sana nakatuon na lang \u2018yung attention natin dun sa facts, \u2018yung mangyayari sa impeachment trial. Kasi \u2018yun naman dapat ang kailangan nating resolbahin sa ngayon (That\u2019s 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\u2019s what we really need to resolve now),\u201d Acidre said in a televised interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cPara kung anumang crisis sa leadership, anumang crisis sa politika ang meron ngayon, masaayos natin on the basis of evidence. Hindi \u2018yung tatakutin natin \u2018yung tao, hindi kung anu-anong conspiracy theory (So that whatever leadership or political crisis that\u2019s happening now, we can resolve on the basis of evidence. Not by scaring the people and not through conspiracy theories),\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
Acidre said the Senate controversy reflected a disturbing pattern in which accusations can be aired before proof is presented.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re quite frustrated, we\u2019re quite disturbed na (that) in the Senate itself, it has become fashionable to accuse before you present proof,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He described the video presented at the Senate alleging a Charter change plot as \u201cpolitical fiction\u201d that lacked verifiable evidence and appeared to be timed to draw public attention away from the impeachment trial of the Vice President.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, sa totoo lang, tinawag nga namin (in truth, we call it) political fiction. Kasi (Because) how else would you call a story that\u2019s basically baseless, that\u2019s being promoted to elicit a certain reaction from the people?\u201d Acidre said.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s attention should be fixed on a constitutional proceeding already before the Senate.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHindi naman napag-uusapan ang Charter change (Charter change has not been discussed). Not in the House, not in the Senate,\u201d Acidre said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s 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),\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that public officials should calm the country during a tense period instead of feeding suspicion without evidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt 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,\u201d he said. (PNA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ayon kay Acidre, mahalagang mapanatili ang public trust sa mga institusyon sa pamamagitan ng maayos na constitutional process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":257951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-257950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t