Governor Manny Pacquiao Adiong Jr. says he will appear before the Senate on June 8 to challenge former Marines' claims about misused flood‑control funds, hinting at libel action and accusing them of holding the Senate hostage.
Governor Manny "Manny Pacquiao" Adiong Jr. responded sharply to the accusations aired during a Senate hearing convened by the bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
The hearing, which is part of a broader investigation into alleged misuse of flood‑control funds, saw Senator Erwin Tulfo, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee under the Gatchalian coalition, announce that the probe will reconvene on Monday, June 8. In an interview with Super Radyo DZBB, Adiong declared his intention to appear before the Senate regardless of any invitation, stating, "With or without the invitation, if 18 Marines are to be summoned, I will waive parliamentary courtesy and go.
I want to confront them face‑to‑face.
" He demanded concrete evidence regarding the purported delivery of cash to the House of Representatives, challenging the alleged witnesses to specify the exact date, time, recipient, the type of suitcase used, the amount of money, and the precise location within his office where the handover supposedly occurred. \n\nAdiong emphasized that the alleged former Marines should present themselves at the June 8 hearing, asserting that the Senate committee provides the proper forum for their statements to be recorded under oath.
He warned that he is not intimidated by what he described as falsehoods and is prepared to meet them directly. Moreover, the governor indicated that he is contemplating filing libel charges against the former Marines, arguing that their allegations constitute not merely personal attacks but an attempt to hold the Senate hostage and impede the nation's progress.
"This is not a personal issue," he said, "it is about the country's ability to move forward without being blocked by baseless claims that paralyze the legislative process. "\n\nIn a related development, House lead prosecutor and Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro issued a statement accusing the alleged former Marines of seeking to discredit the prosecutors involved in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Luistro suggested that the motives behind the accusations were rooted in a broader effort to undermine any figure associated with former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President's father. She warned that such tactics aim to erode public confidence in the judicial process and shield powerful interests from accountability.
The unfolding confrontation underscores a growing tension between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches as they grapple with allegations of financial impropriety linked to disaster‑relief allocations, and it highlights the stakes of maintaining institutional integrity amid political rivalries
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