Alvarez to withdraw bid if Paolo Duterte runs for Speaker

Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — If Davao 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte decides to vie for the House speakership, Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said he would withdraw his own bid and support the presidential son instead.

“Pag tumakbo si Congressman Paolo na Speaker, susuportahan ko,” Alvarez said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday.

“Kung mapapatunayan na magaling siyang Speaker at may liderato siya, why don’t we give him a chance?” he added.

Asked further if he would withdraw his bid for Speaker should the President’s son run for the position, Alvarez answered: “Yes, and I will support him 100 percent.”

Duterte has not made any statements regarding vying for the speakership.

Alvarez was voted as Speaker in 2016 but was ousted in July 2018. He was replaced by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Paolo’s sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, was reportedly behind the ouster of Alvarez.

READ: Duterte: Be careful with Sara, she can even oust the Speaker

Alvarez also said that he would back out of his quest for the top leadership of the House if it could be proven that he threatened to embarrass the Davao City mayor.

In a statement last week, the presidential daughter said that Alvarez “was surreptitiously videotaped when he threatened, after his win in the recent elections in Davao del Norte, ‘Ipapahiya ko si Sara’ [I will embarrass Sara].”

READ: Sara Duterte refuses to reconcile with ‘dangerous’ Alvarez

However, Alvarez denied this, saying it was “unlikely” that he made the remark.

“Di ko talaga alam kung saan yun dahil masyado akong nag-iingat. Pagka nabanggit na si mayor, ‘di na ako nagko-komento,” he said.

“Ganito na lang, halimbawa meron talagang video na sinabi ko ‘yon. I will withdraw from the speakership. Kasi hindi dapat ko sinabi yon. Kapag nasabi ko man yon, wala akong karapatan para tumakbong Speaker ulit,” he added. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)