By Junex Doronio

MANILA — “Hypocrisy and cowardice.”

This is how former Speaker and current Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez described the House of Representatives on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, as the Quad Committee invited former President Rodrigo Duterte to testify in its hearing on extra-judicial killings (EJKs) during his administration.

“Bawat SONA, yung Congress pumapalakpak, nakatayo pa, kasama diyan yung mga nasa QuadComm ngayon. Dapat isama sila sa imbestigasyon. Kung walang approval ng Congress, hindi mapapatupad ang War on Drugs. Hindi kailangan maging henyo para maintindihan yan,” Alvarez stated.

He also pointed out that many members of Congress—several still in power today—had the chance to intervene in the War on Drugs but chose not to. Alvarez emphasized that each year, appropriations bills were passed with little scrutiny of the human cost or the funding’s consequences.

“Hindi mangyayari ang War on Drugs kung hindi ito suportado ng taong bayan at pinayagan ng Kongreso noong 17th at 18th Congress. Karamihan ng mga miyembro ng Kamara noon, nandito pa rin sa 19th Congress. Kung guilty si dating Pangulong Duterte, iisa lang ang ibig sabihin niyan: guilty rin ang Kongreso,” he noted.

Alvarez stressed that the War on Drugs was not a solo effort by Duterte but one backed by the entire government, including Congress, which repeatedly passed the budgets that funded the anti-drug campaign.

In the QuadComm hearings, lawmakers are now scrutinizing Duterte’s role in the drug war. But Alvarez believes this investigation smacks of political convenience and selective memory.

“Kung totoong accountability ang pag-uusapan, doon tayo sa gumawa ng paraan para mapatupad ang War on Drugs. Kaya kung ang may kasalanan ang hahanapin, malaki ang parte ng Congress dahil kung walang pondo, walang War on Drugs,” Alvarez said.

Ironically, Alvarez was ousted as Speaker on July 23, 2018, just minutes before the State of the Nation Address (SONA), reportedly due to the maneuvering of then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter. He was replaced by former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is now considered the political mentor of Vice President Duterte.

ia/mnm

By Junex Doronio

MANILA  — Just like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together, House leaders on Sunday (28 April 2024) aired suspicion that those behind the deepfake audio that mimicked the voice of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordering the use of military force against China could have “originated somewhere in the south of the country.”

It can be recalled that in a supposed prayer rally in Tagum City last April 14, former Speaker and now Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, a close ally of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to withdraw support from their commander-in-chief Marcos Jr. ostensibly to prevent the escalating tension between China and the Philippines over the hotly contested West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“This bogus material (Deepfake audio may have) originated somewhere in the south of the country,” Deputy Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez of Quezon province said, without providing evidence or details.

In a statement, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga pointed out that the spread of the deepfake audio, which he called a “malicious dissemination of fabricated information,” was a national security concern.

Gonzales called on the Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) and its Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to investigate and that people behind the deepfake audio should be prosecuted.

For his part, Suarez said the above agencies should update the House of Representatives on the progress of their investigation into the audio and tap the private sector if necessary.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Former president of Integrated Bar of the Philippines and constitutional law expert Atty. Domingo Cayosa said on Wednesday (April 17, 2024) that Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez should be held accountable after he urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines to withdraw their support to the President.

“Dapat lang ‘wag palampasin [and] to hold accountable ‘yung nagsalita, lalong-lalo na hindi siya ordinaryong tao kung hindi halal na kongresista,” Cayosa said in a radio interview.

However, the law expert said that it would be difficult to convict Alvarez of inciting to sedition under Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code as he used the words “peacefully withdraw.”

“Tama lang na imbestigahan, whether or not ‘yung kanyang sinabi is swak na swak na inciting to sedition,” Cayosa said.

“‘Yung pananalita niya was measured, sinabi niya ‘peacefully’ withdraw, ‘pag ganoon ho kasi hindi na sedition ‘yan, kasi ang sedition kasi ang sedition should be public uprising at tumultuous,” he added.

Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered an investigation into Alvarez for the words he uttered against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Alvarez made the call during a political rally in Tagum City in Davao which former PBBM Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez also attended.

(el Amigo/MNM)

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)