Zambales 1st District Representative Jay Khonghun issued a sharp rebuke on Friday against Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste, labeling the latter’s recent accusations of House-wide vote-buying as “unparliamentary.”
Khonghun criticized Leviste for tarnishing the reputation of the entire chamber based on hearsay and unsubstantiated claims.
“What Leviste did was unparliamentary. Hindi porket congressman ka, puwede ka nang manglait, magparatang at mandamay ng buong institusyon nang walang hawak na ebidensiya,” Khonghun said.
The House Deputy Speaker defended his colleagues, stating that Leviste’s remarks were an affront to lawmakers who secured their positions through legitimate electoral processes and diligent service to their constituents.
“Madaling magbitaw ng mabibigat na salita kapag headline lang naman ang habol mo. Pero hindi dapat gawing collateral damage ang buong Kamara para lang maging newsworthy ang isang privilege speech,” he said.
Furthermore, Khonghun cautioned that making such broad allegations without proof risks eroding public trust and undermining the country’s democratic foundations.
“May karapatan ang taumbayan sa katotohanan, pero hindi katotohanan ang hinala na pinalakas lang ng mikropono,” he pointed out.
“Ang tunay na tapang sa public service ay ang magsalita nang may ebidensiya, hindi ang magparatang tapos iiwan sa iba ang responsibilidad ng paglilinis ng kanilang pangalan,” he added.
The friction stems from a privilege speech delivered by Leviste, in which he accused Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and various political figures of involvement in vote-buying and irregular government projects.