Palace calls out Toby Tiangco: Don't make claims sans evidence

Malacañang on Monday hit Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco over his recent statement that  Vice President Sara Duterte would hold the perpetrators of the flood control mess accountable if she is elected President in 2028.  

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Tiangco's remarks had no basis. 

''Yes, itong si Congressman Toby Tiangco, ang daming sinasabi pero wala tayong nakikitang anumang ebidensiya. Sinabi niya, na one million percent na papanagutin ng Bise Presidente ang mga kurap or gumawa ng anomalya sa pondo ng bayan, especially the flood control projects,'' Castro said.

(Congressman Toby Tiangco says a lot of things but he has no evidence. He said that he's one million percent sure that the Vice President will hold accountable those who were involved in anomalies in flood control projects.) 

''Kaya ang hamon natin mismo kay Congressman Toby Tiangco, para mapatunayan niya ito, hindi ba dapat kahit pa Presidente, ang Bise Presidente dapat nagta-trabaho na siya para mapanagot ang mga di umanong kurap lalung-lalo na doon sa mga ghost projects noong panahon ng kanyang ama. Madali naman niyang malalaman kung sino ang involve dito, tanungin lamang niya ang dating secretary ng DPWH na ngayon ay si secretary or rather Senator Mark Villar,'' she added. 

(Our challenge to Congressman Toby Tiangco, if he really wants to prove this, isn't it proper that the Vice President already works to hold accountable those involved in ghost projects at the time of his president. She can easily do that by asking the former secretary of the DPWH.) 

Tiangco, in response, said he is surprised with the statement of Castro regarding the supposed lack of evidence on his statements.

''Nagulat naman ako sa sinasabi niyang walang nakitang ebidensya, eh si Presidente mismo ang nagsabi ng 'mahiya kayo' sa SONA, at may big fish na makukulong, so bakit ngayon biglang sinasabi ni Usec Claire na walang ebidensya?'' the lawmaker told GMA News Online.

(I'm surprised with her statement that there's no evidence when it's the President who called out those involved during his SONA, and that there are big fish who will be jailed. Why did she say that there's no evidence?)

Tiangco underscored that he is for accountability as he lodged House Resolution 894 which seeks to expedite the resolution of the impeachment case against VP Sara in order to concentrate on urgent matters arising from the Middle East crisis.''

He added that he is even more worried by Castro's remarks that there's no oil crisis in the Philippines. 

Tiangco had also claimed that there were supposedly House members who are pushing for the impeachment of the Vice President, not based on principle, but because they are afraid of being held accountable over the flood control mess if the Vice President wins in the 2028 presidential elections.

For Castro, the lawmaker should not ''destroy'' the institution where he belongs to, adding that Tiangco should not be a source of fake news. 

''Hanggat hindi ito nagagawa, ang sabi nga natin, maaring nanlilinlang si Secretary or rather Congressman Toby Tiangco. So, sa ngayon pa lamang hindi dapat niyang sirain ang anumang institusyon ng gobyerno lalo na kung saan siya nakakasama or where he belongs ‘di ba sa institusyon where he belongs,'' she said.

(Maybe Congressman Toby Tiangco is being deceived, He should not destroy the institution to which he belongs.) 

''Hindi dapat niyang sinisiraan, lalo na wala siyang ebidensiya, kawawa ang mga Pilipino sa mga taong puro fake news ang inihahatid sa atin, katulad ng sinabi ng ating Pangulo sa kanyang mensahe, iwasan po natin magbigay ng fake news at kasama na po kayo doon Congressman Toby Tiangco.

(He should not destroy the image of other people, especially if he has no evidence. Let's refrain from spreading fake news, Congressman Toby Tiangco.)  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News