Manila: House trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong has criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for her recent comments about the ease of hiring a gunman in the Philippines. Adiong claims that such remarks are part of a broader pattern of violent rhetoric used to distract public attention from the ongoing Senate impeachment proceedings.

According to Philippines News Agency, Adiong pointed out during a press briefing at the House of Representatives that Duterte's controversial statement coincided with the prosecution's presentation of evidence on the first article of impeachment. This article accuses the Vice President of misusing PHP612.5 million in confidential funds. Adiong remarked, "While the Impeachment Court is focused on documents and witness testimonies concerning the PHP612.5 million in confidential funds, the discussion is once again being diverted by another controversial statement from the Vice President. She would rather create another issue than answer the evidence."

The Vice President made the contentious statement before supporters outside the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. She hypothetically suggested that it would be easy to hire a gunman in the Philippines for PHP5,000, using the example of having her husband's alleged mistress killed. Adiong emphasized that this rhetoric is alarming, stating, "This can no longer be dismissed as a joke or a mere illustration. We have repeatedly heard her use violence in her public statements. That is deeply alarming, especially coming from the country's second-highest official."

Adiong also highlighted that the prosecution had already presented evidence on the fourth article of impeachment, which involves Duterte's public admission of contracting someone to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez in case of any harm to her. The pattern of violent rhetoric includes previous statements about imagining cutting off President Marcos' head and threats to exhume the remains of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and dispose of them in the West Philippine Sea.

Adiong urged the public to focus on the documentary evidence and sworn testimonies presented at the Impeachment Court rather than being distracted by the Vice President's controversies. He stated, "What the public should be talking about are the receipts, bank records, Treasury checks, and witness testimonies that are now being presented before the Impeachment Court. That is where the public's attention should be - not on another controversy created by the Vice President."

Meanwhile, Adiong addressed the handling of the PHP612.5 million in confidential funds, noting that the prosecution had only established the initial step in tracing the funds' movement. He assured that the prosecution would demonstrate how Duterte's management of these funds constituted a betrayal of public trust.

Testimonies from former Land Bank of the Philippines branch managers Violeta Constantino and Nenita Camposano confirmed the encashment of Treasury checks totaling PHP612.5 million for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd). Constantino detailed how four Treasury checks worth PHP125 million each were encashed at Land Bank's Shaw Boulevard branch, while Camposano testified about three Treasury checks worth PHP37.5 million each being converted into cash at the Land Bank DepEd branch.

Adiong emphasized the importance of these testimonies in establishing the flow of money from the National Treasury into Duterte's hands and indicated that future prosecution witnesses would focus on the cash's subsequent movement. "Mahalaga po ito dahil kasama ito sa pagpapakita ng pagdaloy ng pera mula sa Treasury patungo sa palad ng Bise Presidente," he added.