Lanao del Sur del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has had enough of Vice President Sara Duterte's vulgarity-ridden "shame campaign" against pro-administration congressmen and election candidates.
“The Filipino people deserve leaders who inspire by example, not those who intimidate with threats or vulgarity. The public square should be a platform for ideas, not a battleground for insults,” Adiong said on Tuesday, May 6.
The House "Young Guns" bloc member gave this statement following a series of scathing remarks and personal attacks by Duterte against Manila Congressmen Bienvenido Abante, Joel Chua, and Rolando Valeriano, and other Marcos administration allies.
Adiong says that while the right to express political views is fundamental in a democracy, resorting to name-calling, threats, and vulgar language degrades the very spirit of public service and weakens democratic engagement.
The House assistant majority leader called on all political leaders to restore decency, dignity, and civility in the conduct of electoral campaigns.
"This is not the leadership our people deserve. Strong leadership does not require bad language. It requires vision, courage, and integrity,” noted Adiong, one of the 215 House members who signed in favor of the impeachment complaint against Duterte last February.
He said the Vice President’s public attacks have drawn concern not only for their tone but also for their content, which many critics say distract from the real issues voters want to hear about–jobs, education, peace, and defending the country’s sovereignty.
“Democracy thrives when we engage in respectful debate, not when we silence or shame one another. Let’s return to a time when policy ideas, not personal insults, defined our national conversations,” Adiong stated.
The House leader emphasized that public officials, especially those occupying high offices, bear the responsibility of setting the tone for civic discourse and must rise above the temptations of theatrics.
“Ang mga salitang binibitawan ng mga lider ay may bigat at epekto. Sa bawat mura at pananakot, nawawala ang tiwala ng mamamayan. Ang dapat ibalik sa politika ay dangal, hindi drama,” he said
(The words spoken by leaders carry weight and impact. With every insult and threat, the people's trust erodes. What must be restored in politics is dignity, not theatrics.)
The congressman from Mindanao also reminded the public that electoral campaigns are not platforms for vengeance but opportunities to present a vision for the country’s future.
“Our youth are watching. What they hear from our leaders becomes the norm. Let’s show them that power can be principled, and politics can be kind,” Adiong pointed out.