A growing number of House members have publicly pushed back against claims that legislators received a P2-million Christmas bonus, calling the allegation misleading and inaccurate.
Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur’s 1st District said the assertion mischaracterized routine congressional funding, stressing that the amounts cited were meant for district operations rather than personal incentives. He said the checks cited as proof referred to Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and regular salary releases, not bonuses.
“He was claiming na may bonus but the checks that he provided to the media were actually in the operational expenses for his district and his salary. They are not bonuses,” Adiong told reporters on Friday.
The controversy stems from statements by Leandro Leviste, who alleged that the payout coincided with the final week of House deliberations on the 2026 national budget, when lawmakers ratified the bicameral conference committee report.
Opposition lawmakers also rejected any link between the alleged funds and the budget vote. Antonio Tinio of the ACT Teachers Party-list said he did not receive any such amount and emphasized that it had no bearing on their position during deliberations.
“Most definitely ang boto natin ay hindi naimpluwensiyahan ng anumang mga incentives or pressure,” Tinio told the media, noting that members of the Makabayan bloc voted against the budget measure.
Other senior House officials, including Mikaela Suansing, chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Ronaldo Puno, a House deputy speaker, had earlier issued similar denials.
Adiong said MOOE allocations are essential for basic district office operations, including staff work and utility expenses, and should not be conflated with personal benefits. He added that legislators differ in how they manage their district offices, implying that rejecting such funds is a matter of personal choice rather than proof of wrongdoing.
Adiong also said Leviste’s recent public remarks could affect his standing in the House, where Leviste currently serves as vice chairperson of the Committees on Appropriations, Ways and Means, Basic Education and Culture, and Economic Affairs.
