A House senior leader said public officials have a duty to set a good example and avoid words or actions that could contribute to the normalization of violence.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, a spokesperson for the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, made the statement as the country confronts a series of violent incidents involving young people.
“Kaya nga po sinasabi natin, bilang parte ng sambayanang Pilipino, it’s also our civic duty na magbigay po ng magandang ehemplo,” the solon commented.
He said the issue goes beyond social media and touches on how individuals, especially leaders, conduct themselves in public and within their communities.
“At the end of the day, it’s really about how we carry ourselves. How we connect with our community,” he said.
“Kaya nga tama po ‘yung sinabi, mayroon po tayong obligasyon at responsibilidad bilang adult na hindi ho tayo magdadagdag doon sa pagno-normalize nung hindi magandang asal, hindi magandang mga pinagsasabi,” he added.
His remarks came after a moderator in a recent forum cited recent incidents involving minors, including the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, where two teenage students allegedly opened fire, killing three students and injuring several others.
The moderator also cited a stabbing incident involving a student in Cavite and another reported case in Leyte, where authorities allegedly prevented a student from carrying out a planned attack.
The discussion also touched on past public controversies involving former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who had previously said he shot someone as a teenager, and Vice President Duterte’s 2011 assault on a court sheriff when she was the vice mayor.
The lawmaker said elected officials carry influence because they hold positions of public trust and are expected to meet higher standards of conduct.
“Dahil ultimately, bilang isang halal na opisyal, meron ho kayong impluwensya at one point or the other. Kasi the reason why nandiyan po kayo, dahil may nagtitiwala po sa inyong mga tao na gagampanan niyo ang inyong trabaho nang tapat,” he said.
He said that trust should be protected by acting in a manner that does not betray the public.
“So dapat po, pangalagaan po natin ang tiwala ng taong bayan na naghalal po sa atin, na gagampanan po natin ang ating trabaho nang tapat, na hindi ho tayo gagawa ng anything that would violate, at the very least, that would betray the trust that was given to us by the people,” he emphasized.
One of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte alleges that her remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez constituted betrayal of public trust.
Duterte has denied wrongdoing and argued that her statements were covered by freedom of expression.
The Senate impeachment court completed pre-trial proceedings on June 25. The impeachment trial is scheduled to begin on July 6.