Solons: Alvarez liable for sedition for withdrawal of support remark

FILE PHOTO: For his colleagues in the House, Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez may be in trouble for calling on police officers and military personnel to withdraw their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from an ethics probe, former speaker and now Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez can face sedition complaints for calling on police officers and military personnel to withdraw their support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said that sedition raps should be filed quickly against Alvarez, so that such calls from the lawmaker would be addressed immediately.

“The response to the seditious statement should be the immediate filing of a criminal case so that the move to incite people, including the military, to rebel against the government will be nipped in the bud,” Romualdo said in a statement.

“Clearly, what former Speaker Alvarez remarked during a rally in Tagum City falls within the purview of sedition,” he added.

Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel and Lanao del Norte 1st District Rep. Khalid Dimaporo separately warned Alvarez about his statements, saying that they appear to be unbecoming of a House of Representatives member.

“I would kindly urge the former speaker to be cautious with his words and clear on his intent. At face value, his anti-government statements are unbecoming of a member of the House of Representatives and may warrant an ethics case against him,” Dimaporo said in a statement.

“The remarks of the former speaker are uncalled for. That is tantamount to sedition or rebellion,” Pimentel added.

Alvarez called cops and soldiers at a rally held in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, on Sunday. Former president Rodrigo Duterte was present. Alvarez urged Marcos to resign from the presidency.

Duterte and his allies have expressed dissatisfaction with the current administration’s actions since late 2023 — after proposed confidential funds were removed from two civilian offices, the Department of Education and the Office of the Vice President, both headed by Vice President Sara Duterte.

The older Duterte also criticized Marcos’ foreign policy in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling him a crybaby for rushing to the United States amid China’s aggressive actions in the area.  Marcos, after the trilateral meeting in Washington with Japan and the United States (US), fired back and asked Duterte what he gave up to China when he and Chinese president Xi Jingping had a gentleman’s agreement.

According to Marcos, Duterte and his past officials should clarify matters because it would explain why friends from China have been irritated with the Philippines’ actions over the WPS.

READ: Marcos to Duterte: ‘What did you compromise?’ 

Last March 27, Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, confirmed to reporters that Duterte and China had a deal to maintain the status quo in the WPS.  This means both the Philippines and China would refrain from constructing and repairing installations in the area.

Roque, however, admitted that the deal was non-binding and could not apply during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s tenure.

READ: Ex-President Duterte, China had deal to keep WPS status quo – Roque 

However, Roque’s claim was countered by another former presidential spokesperson in lawyer Salvador Panelo, who said that Duterte did not enter into such an agreement with China.

Eventually, Duterte himself and China admitted that such an agreement existed.