Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (File photo by NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net )
MANILA, Philippines — Former House Speaker and incumbent lawmaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Sunday faced criticisms from fellow House members for his statement urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign.
His call to the chief executive was made amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
On March 27, Alvarez “advised” Marcos, in a statement, to voluntarily resign from his position and “turn over the functions of the presidency to the duly elected Vice President [VP] in the person of VP Sara Duterte.”
The former House speaker said Marcos is making decisions which only escalate the tension in the disputed waters, where recent incidents, such as the use of water cannon by Chinese Coast Guard against Philippine vessels, and close shadowing by Chinese troops against Filipino vessels, occurred.
READ: Alvarez to Marcos: Stop escalating WPS tension or yield presidency
House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong called Alvarez’s advice an indication of his pro-China stance.
“It’s transparent that Representative Alvarez is less concerned about national strategy and more focused on political maneuvering,” Adiong said in a statement.
“His call for President Marcos Jr. to resign reflects only his Pro-China stance and not any true concern for the plight of fellow Filipinos,” the Lanao del Sur representative added.
Adiong likewise said Alvarez’s statements towards the President are simply “political strategies.”
“Our nation’s leadership and policy decisions should be guided by the best interests of the Philippines, not by the political ambitions of a few,” he pointed out.
Alvarez is the current Davao del Norte 1st District representative and is a known ally of the Dutertes.
‘Early politicking’
For Zambales 1st District Representative Jay Khongun, the Davao solon’s “advice” to the President shows how “friends and allies” of VP Duterte are making it known that they want her to “take over” Malacañang, even if Marcos still has four years left in his term.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that supporters of the previous administration, like (Davao del Norte) Rep. (Pantaleon) Alvarez, are impatient and unwilling to wait for the (May) 2028 presidential elections,” Khongun said in a separate statement.
He added that Alvarez’s unsolicited advice to the President might be a part of a destabilization effort against the current administration.
“One must consider the possibility that such calls for President Marcos Jr. to resign are part of a broader destabilization effort, aiming to unsettle the current administration and expedite a political transition that aligns with their interests,” Khongun noted.
Stand firm
Meanwhile, House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre stressed that the current state of affairs on the West Philippine Sea signals for a time where “we must stand firm in defending our territorial integrity.”
Acidre called Alvarez’s advice to the President “defeatist” and “naive.”
“To suggest that President Marcos Jr. should resign in the face of aggression is to misunderstand the very essence of leadership and national sovereignty,” he said in a statement.
READ: PH condemns China’s ‘irresponsible’ actions in West Philippine Sea
“Calling for resignation, instead of resilience and resolve, shows a lack of faith in our nation’s capabilities and the leadership of President Marcos Jr.,” Acidre added.
Apart from urging Marcos to resign from his post as President, Alvarez likewise urged the chief executive to simply focus on domestic issues such as poverty alleviation.
At the same time, he warned Philippine government against a military confrontation with China.