Alvarez says Marcos support withdrawal call is not seditious

FILE PHOTO: Pantaleon Alvarez. Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said his call for the country’s police and military to withdraw their support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cannot be deemed seditious.

According to the former speaker of the House of Representatives, his appeal is not the same as advocating a coup-d’état style of withdrawing support from the current administration because “ it was done in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

“How can we consider that seditious or disorderly conduct when it was done in a peaceful and orderly manner? There is really dissatisfaction within the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), and in our history, they have done several coups before. That’s why I made an appeal, I swallowed my pride just to appeal that there be no exchange of gunfire, no tumultuous or public uprising, and no force or intimidation,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

READ: AFP, PNP reject Alvarez’s call to turn back on gov’t

“And if they will say that it is ‘outside of legal’ means, can’t the soldiers resign as a withdrawal of support if they no longer believe in the direction of the leadership? That’s their right, it is also a constitutionally protected right. It is stated in the 1987 Constitution: The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State,” he added.

Alvarez, however, admitted being emotional when he made that plea to the police and military. He said he was carried away because Malacañang is supposedly dragging the Philippines into a war with China.

“I’m sorry, I was affected by a surge of emotions. I love the Philippines, especially Mindanao. And how can I stay silent, look at what has happened? We are being brought by Malacanang towards a war with China even if China will overtake America in terms of economy, technology, and military might,” Alvarez said.

“That is not acceptable, they have nuclear weapons, they can fire at us and we cannot respond. Many Filipinos would die. We would be erased from this planet,” he added.

In a Sunday rally held in Davao del Norte’s Tagum City, Alvarez urged the police and military to withdraw their support from Marcos out of dissatisfaction with the President’s policies. Former president Rodrigo Duterte was also present at the event.

The rally was held a few days after the Philippines participated in the first-ever trilateral summit with the United States (US) and Japan, where several measures for strengthened economic cooperation and steps to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region were discussed, on the backdrop of heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

No less than US President Joe Biden reiterated that any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, or military force in the South China Sea would invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and Manila.

Alvarez’s statements were met with disappointment from his colleagues in the House.

Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said sedition complaints should be filed against Alvarez so that his fellow legislator’s plea would be addressed immediately.

Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel and Lanao del Norte 1st District Rep. Khalid Dimaporo separately warned Alvarez regarding his statement, which they think appears to be unbecoming of a House of Representatives member.

But Alvarez is unfazed, as he maintained that he has not committed any action that can be categorized as conduct unbecoming of a House member.

“You know what’s considered disorderly conduct is to start a Charter change, then say it was a People’s Initiative but it was not true. Then we saw in the investigation of Senator Imee Marcos that the leadership in the House of Representatives ordered congressmen to use funds and government programs to buy signatures for Charter change. That’s a huge nonsense,” he said.

“I respect and have strong bonds of friendship with them, especially those from Mindanao, because they know the hardships we went through. But look at the people’s sentiments, especially in Mindanao, and let us remember that our primary duty is to serve the interest of our constituents,” he added.

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

Former president 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 Office of the Vice President, that are both being helmed by the ex-chief executive’s daughter, Sara Duterte.

The older Duterte also criticized Marcos’ foreign policy in the West Philippine Sea. He has called Marcos a crybaby for rushing to the US amid China’s aggressive actions in the disputed waters.

After the trilateral meeting in Washington with Japan and the US, Marcos fired back and asked Duterte what he gave up to China when he and Chinese president Xi Jinping forged a “gentleman’s agreement.”

According to Marcos, Duterte and his administration’s officials should clarify matters because it would explain why friends from China have been irritated with the Philippines’ actions in the West Philippine Sea.