Hontiveros: May panahon na kailangan talagang tumayo para sa katotohanan

“Takot ba sya sa mga insulto, o takot sya sa katotohanan?”

This was the question posed by AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros today in reaction to the alleged reason why Sen. Villar refuses to attend the Senate plenary debate on the C5 report.

“True, we shouldn’t lose our sense of decorum during our debates. But the so-called ‘fear of insults’ should not be used as an excuse to evade accountability,” she said, adding that long-time members of Congress should be used to colorful exchanges of barbs. “It should not prevent a member of Congress from engaging in the process.”

“Dapat ay cool ka lang, at dapat di ka balat-sibuyas,” Rep. Hontiveros said.

She added, however, that the fear of debates, even of insults, should not be used as an excuse to skip the session. “I don’t think that such a fear should take precedence over the truth, or even the need to clear one’s name. How can you govern if you are too sensitive?” asked Rep. Hontiveros.

“Mahirap din ipaliwanag na kaya mong magbayad ng milyon-milyon para sa TV ads pero takot ka humarap sa isang plenary debate.”

“Senator Villar has to face the truth. In the end, if he were telling the truth, no insult hurled against him would matter. Just tackle the issue head on because that’s how your leadership would be measured,” Rep. Hontiveros said. “If you can’t stand up for your own name, and if you can’t stand up for the truth, then it says something about your brand of leadership. May mga panahon na kailangan mo talagang tumayo para sa katotohanan.”

Rep. Hontiveros also urged the Senate not to wait until Wednesday to vote on the report. “It cannot and should not be delayed. Delaying it till the last session day is rather dangerous because it would be easier to stall and let the report languish. Sana mapagbotohan ng Senado para malaman naman ng sambayan ang katotohanan,” she appealed.###

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