DAVAO del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez yesterday apologized for his call urging the AFP to withdraw its support for President Marcos Jr. but insisted that there was nothing seditious with his outburst because he made it clear that the military can do it peacefully.
Alvarez last Sunday urged the AFP to withdraw support from Marcos amid the rising tension between the Philippines and China in connection with the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
If the military withdraws support, Marcos will be forced to step down as president, said Alvarez, a colonel in the Philippine Marines reserve force.
“Pasensya na, nadala rin ng bugso ng damdamin. Mahal ko ang Pilipinas, lalo na ang Mindanao. At paano ako tatahimik, tingnan niyo nangyayari. Kinakaladkad tayo ng Malacañang papunta sa digmaan kahit na ang China ay mauunahan na ang Amerika pagdating sa ekonomiya, teknolohiya, at lakas militar (I’m sorry. I was carried away. I love the Philippines, especially Mindanao. And how can I stay silent? Look at what’s happening. Malacañang is dragging us into a war even if China is about to overtake the United States when it comes to economy and military might),” Alvarez said in a statement.
The former speaker, an ally of pro-China former President Rodrigo Duterte, said it is “unacceptable” that President Marcos Jr. is standing up to China for its illegal incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
“Hindi ‘yan katanggap-tanggap, may nuclear weapons sila, kaya nila magpaputok at hindi tayo makakapalag. Maraming Pilipino ang mamamatay. Ubos tayo (That’s not unacceptable. They have nuclear weapons they can fire and we can’t do anything. We’ll be wiped out),” Alvarez said, parroting Duterte’s defeatist statements.
The former speaker has also earlier urged the President to resign so that Vice President Sara Duterte, who has remained silent on Beijing’s bullying of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea, can take over.
“Patapos na ang siglo ng mga Amerikano, tapos doon pa nila gusto pumusta? Pag-isipan natin ito ng mabuti (The Americans’ time as a superpower is coming to an end and we cast our lot on them? Let’s think about it carefully). Our national interest compels us to look beyond how Hollywood and American propaganda brainwashed our thinking for the past century and made us blind to our true national interest, which is to serve and protect the lives, liberties, and future of our people,” he said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday ordered an investigation into Alvarez’s statement if this rises to the level of sedition.
“I have ordered an investigation on the statements of Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez to determine whether it has risen to the level of sedition, inciting to sedition or even rebellion,” Remulla said.
But Alvarez insisted that he cannot be accused of sedition or disorderly conduct as a member of the House for urging the military to withdraw support from Marcos, pointing out that under the Revised Penal Code, sedition is committed by “rising publicly and tumultuously to attain by force, intimidation, or by illegal means, unlawful objectives.”
Alvarez reminded the House leadership that his call to the military is “protected by the Constitution.”
“‘Yung nangyari sa Davao del Norte, kasama ‘yan sa constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech and assembly. Paano naging seditious at disorderly conduct ang pag-exercise ng constitutional rights? At bakit hindi ako magsasalita? (What happened in Davao del Norte is part of constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech and assembly. How can the exercise of constitutional rights be seditious and disorderly conduct? And why will I not speak up),” he said.
The former speaker said the House leadership also cannot discipline him because he did not commit “disorderly conduct.”
“Paano naging seditious o disorderly conduct ‘yung sinabi ko, e peaceful nga at orderly. Meron dissatisfaction sa AFP, at sa kasaysayan natin, naka-ilang coup na sila dati. Kaya ako nakikiusap, linunok ko na pride ko, nagmakaawa: walang putukan, walang tumultuous o public uprising, at walang force o intimidation (How can it be seditious or disorderly conduct when it’s peaceful and orderly? There is dissatisfaction in the AFP and in our history, there have been several coup attempts. That’s why I implored them not to fire shots, there shouldn’t be a tumultuous or public uprising, no force and intimidation),” he said.
He said administration allies also cannot say that the means by which he wants the AFP to carry out his call is “outside of legal.”
“Bakit? Bawal ba mag-resign ang mga sundalo bilang withdrawal of support kung hindi na sila naniniwala sa direksyon ng liderato? Karapatan din nila ‘yan, constitutionally protected rights ‘yan (Why? Are soldiers prohibited from resigning when they no longer believe in the direction taken by the leadership? That is their constitutionally protected right). Nakalagay mismo sa Konstitusyon (It is stipulated in the Constitution): The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State,” Alvarez said.
While he respects his House colleagues who have criticized him for his remarks, Alvarez urged them, particularly those who are from Mindanao like him, to prioritize their constituents.
“I respect and have strong bonds of friendship with them, lalo na ang mga tiga-Mindanao, kasi alam nila yung hirap na pinagdadaanan namin pero tingnan din sana nila sentimento ng tao, lalo na sa Mindanao, at tandaan na ang primary duty namin ay to serve the interest of our constituents (I respect and have strong bonds of friendship with them, especially those from Mindanao because they know the hardships we’re going through but they should also look at the people’s sentiments, especially in Mindanao, and remember that our primary duty is to serve the interest of our constituents),” he said.
‘FUTILE’
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Avalrez’s call is “futile” and “will not amount to anything but to a possible criminal investigation.”
“The AFP is standing steadfast in upholding the Constitution under the leadership of the Commander in Chief President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr,” said Teodoro, adding: “Any attempt to sway them away from this duty or to patronize them to support a partisan agenda is futile, particularly when this agenda dovetails with a foreign interest contrary to our own national interests.”
In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the call made by Alvarez was “uncalled for.”
“Of course, he is entitled to his own opinion. Maybe, we could state that it is an uncalled-for comment,” Padilla said.
Padilla said the AFP is awaiting a recommendation from the Philippine Marines as to the actions that might be taken against Alvarez, who was commissioned into the Philippine Marines reserve force in August 2017 while he was still the House Speaker during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We defer to the Philippine Marines whether they would be recommending something at this point,” Padilla said when asked if the military will be taking action against Alvarez, particularly as a military reserve officer.
AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said there have been instances in the past where officers were removed from their list of reserve officers for breach of discipline and failure to meet military standards.
Navy spokesman Captain John Percie Alcos said the Philippine Navy has ordered the Philippine Marines, one of its major units, to investigate Alvarez’s call.
“We take exception to the recent statement of the 1st District Davao del Norte Rep. and Marine reservist, Pantaleon Alvarez,” said adding that “the Philippine Navy has already directed the 9th Marine Brigade to conduct an investigation and to ask Col. Alvarez to explain his statements.”
Alcos said the result of the investigation “will be the basis of the Navy’s actions moving forward.”
Alcos said the Navy is a professional organization and dedicated to upholding its mandate of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.
“In support of the AFP, we reiterate our unwavering loyalty and commitment to the Constitution, the Chain of Command, and the President of the Republic of the Philippines as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” Alcos said.
Alcos said Navy sailors and Marines “will continue to fulfill our responsibility with integrity, impartiality, utmost dedication, and will follow legal orders from the chain of command.”
“The Navy will continue to uphold the rule of law — ensuring security and stability as guardians of our seas,” added Alcos.
‘TRUE MOTIVE’
Zambales Rep. Jafferson Khonghun, an assistant majority leader, said Alvarez’s call was “not merely an expression of dissent but a calculated attempt to destabilize the government.”
“The clear intention behind Alvarez’s remarks is to sow chaos and instability in our nation,” Khonghun said as he called for a swift legal action against the Mindanao lawmaker.
“We cannot allow individuals to undermine the democratic process and manipulate government institutions for their own political gain,” he said as he stressed that “former Speaker Alvarez must be held accountable for his actions, and charges should be filed against him to ensure that justice is served.”
Khonghun warned that Alvarez’s “reckless statements threaten the very fabric of our democracy.”
Lanao del Norte Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, who is also a House assistant majority leader, said the mode of incitement to sedition, under Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code, refers to a person whose speech may lead or tend to stir up the people against lawful authorities or to disturb the peace of the community and the safety and order of the government.
Adiong said the former Speaker’s statement “carry much weight and maybe the license needed by certain individuals, even amongst the military, to carry out the destabilization of the government.”
Adiong criticized Alvarez for attempting to influence an institution like the AFP against serving a duly elected government based solely on differing opinions on foreign policy.
“It is unbecoming of a public official to go to the extent of inducing any government institution from faithfully serving a duly-elected government simply because one holds a different appreciation of foreign policy direction,” he said.
In the Senate, minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III urged Alvarez to “insulate our armed forces from politics so they can develop into a more professional, disciplined, and inspired group.”
“I appeal to my good friend, former Speaker Bebot Alvarez to insulate the armed forces from political matters but to continue to speak out on the burning issues of the day,” he said. — With Ashzel Hachero, Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
