When words escalate,
the question shifts from who speaks louder to who answers facts.

Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante issued a sharp challenge, calling on critics to present evidence or stop what he described as repeated insinuations and character attacks. His remarks, delivered in blunt language, framed the issue as a matter of proof over provocation.

READ MORE: When Dialogue Follows the Filing

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, responding on behalf of his office, pushed back—arguing that the controversy persists not because of rhetoric, but because no major figure has yet been held accountable over alleged bogus flood control projects and questionable budget insertions in the 2025 national budget.

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Tiangco’s statement reframed the exchange away from personalities and toward outcomes. According to his office, public attention remains fixed on unresolved issues: flood control allocations, anomalous insertions, and the absence of what many call the “big fish” being made to answer.

Discreetly, the back-and-forth illustrates a familiar congressional cycle. Heat rises. Statements sharpen. Yet the core questions—who approved what, where the money went, and who benefits—remain unanswered.

In politics, escalation can dominate headlines.
Accountability, however, requires something quieter: follow-through.