By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Describing the Philippines as a “sinking ship”, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez has blatantly contradicted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for saying the movement was doomed to fail.

The Davao lawmaker who has buried the hatchet with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte claimed on Friday (February 9) that they were mobilizing a “peaceful and orderly advocacy campaign” for Mindanao’s “independence”.

“What we intend to do is resort to reason and tap the peaceful and common aspirations of the Mindanaoan people. Legitimate and lawful exercise yan ng aming constitutional rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and organization,” Alvarez said.

He stood pat that their “movement” was contrary to claims that what they were doing was “seditious.”

On Thursday (February 8), the President openly rejected the calls for a separate Mindanao and urged its proponents to stop.

“The new call for a separate Mindanao is doomed to fail for it is anchored on a false premise, not to mention a sheer constitutional travesty… I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao,” Marcos Jr. said.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — It seems that old friends former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and ex-Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez have buried the hatchet with the emergence of a new movement that seeks for Mindanao to secede from the Philippines.

If Mindanao successfully secedes, it will bar the International Criminal Court (ICC) from arresting the former Chief Executive and his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte for alleged “crimes against humanity” due to the extra-judicial killings (EJKs) in the course of the former chief executive’s bloody anti-illegal drugs campaign.

This possibility loomed as Alvarez on Wednesday revealed plans to match the ongoing initiative with their signature drive for Mindanao’s independence from the Philippines.

“Puwede yun kasi ibang bansa na ‘yan eh. Ibang bansa na, Wala naman kaming ugnayan sa ICC o kung saan pa dahil panibagong bansa yan,” Alvarez stressed.

He blamed Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez for reviving the idea of secession due to the ongoing people’s initiative (PI) supposedly launched by Romualdez and the defunding of projects in Mindanao.

“Ako lang, dito sa distrito ko, ang laki po ng tinanggal na mga infrastructure projects… It seems na wala na talagang pag-asa para maayos itong aming lugar dito sa Mindanao,” Alvarez disclosed.

To recall, Alvarez and the elder Duterte had a falling out when the former was stripped of his post as House Speaker due to the reported maneuver of then-presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

On July 23, 2018, Alvarez was ousted as Speaker and replaced by Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was widely known as Inday Sara’s political mentor.

Seemingly, Alvarez has reconciled with the Dutertes.

“You can set us free and let us chart our destiny,” Alvarez said.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Saying he’s only waiting for the right time to file a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the legality of the ongoing people’s initiative (PI) drive, former Speaker and Davao del Norte’s 1st district Representative Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez on Thursday (25 Jan 2024)  tagged Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez as the one behind the movement to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio argued that the PI, one of three ways to revise the constitution, can only introduce amendments — not revisions — to the charter.

Romualdez on Monday (January 22) denied issuing a directive to push for Charter change Cha-Cha) via PI even as Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said barangay officials are allowed to participate in the signature campaign that seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution.

“Wala namang kriminal na umaamin eh. Di-deny yan hangga’t pwedeng i-deny. Siyempre ako naman bilang isang abogado nangangalap din ng mga ebidensya habang ginagawa nila yung mga pagpapapirma, dino-document ko rin para pagdating ng oras,” Alvarez mantained.

On Wednesday (January 24), Albay Rep. Joey Salceda claimed that enough signatures have been obtained for the PI.

But Alvarez alleged that most voters signed the people’s initiative forms because “money was involved.”

“Dahil may pinamimigay na pera, pinakamaliit diyan P5,000 kasi yun naman talaga yung AICS… Eh siyempre yung tao willing pumirma dahil gutom yung tao, ang hirap ng buhay,” Alvarez said.

The former Speaker said he is just waiting for the right time to file a case before the SC.

“Ita-timing natin kung kailan tama yung pag-file. Hindi naman pwedeng maagang-maaga kasi baka mamaya sabihin naman ng Supreme Court, pwede nilang i-dismiss yun dahil sabihin nilang not ripe for adjudication,” he explained.

(el Amigo/MNM)