Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong dismissed a planned “Blue Ribbon” hearing organized by a group aligned with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as a “PR stunt” and a “diversionary tactic” from the Senate’s ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Adiong questioned the legitimacy of the separate inquiry, saying it was not sanctioned by the Senate’s current leadership.

“The separate investigation or continuing Blue Ribbon committee… I don’t think within the current leadership now sanctioned this parallel Blue Ribbon investigation,” Adiong said.

He added that the move “only validates our previous observation that this is just a PR stunt to divert the attention of the public from the issue of impeachment.”

“The impeachment trial is a constitutionally mandated priority of the Senate right now. They have already convened as an impeachment court and I think the people deserve clarity and closure on the subject matter that are allegedly committed by the vice president,” he said.

Adiong reiterated that the planned hearing risks shifting public focus away from the impeachment trial.

“I think it’s just a diversionary tactic, in my humble observation, to create a parallel issue that actually would in a way sway the attention of the public,” he said.

“It only reinforces our earlier observation that this is just a distraction, a diversionary tactic and a PR stunt.”

Former congressman Mike Defensor earlier announced that a “Blue Ribbon hearing” on alleged flood control anomalies will proceed on Tuesday, June 16, but will be held outside Senate premises.

In a social media post, Defensor said the hearing will take place at the DoubleGem EDSA Garden Events Place at 10 a.m. and encouraged supporters to attend.

The Senate has already convened as an impeachment court for the trial of Duterte, placing the proceedings at the center of the chamber’s agenda.