DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 28 Jan)—Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has belied claims of him being “inconsistent” on his opinion on changing the constitution.
In an interview with the media at the sidelines of the Davao-based campaign Hakbang ng Maisug, a campaign against alleged bribery in exchange for signatures for a people’s initiative for constitutional change at the Grand Men Seng Hotel here, Alvarez said that the comments of House Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez (Quezon, 2nd Dist.) are “not being studied and as inconsistent as well.”
Alvarez stressed that he is for charter change but for a different reason, pointing out that he is one with former President Rodrigo Duterte in pushing for federalism. “Our message is clear, our proposed constitution is to change the form of government from unitary to federalism,” he said.
He said that the former president had already formed a constitutional commission to study what amendments must be done, but it was shelved because “Duterte said to hold the discussions.”
“[FPRRD] said to temporarily hold the discussions because we have to listen to the people’s needs…. The people are saying that there are problems that need to be resolved before changing the constitution,” Alvarez said in vernacular.
Suarez, in a statement, said that Alvarez was one of the 301 House members who voted in March 2023 for pushing a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Suarez said that Alvarez’s sudden shift of stance is now tarnishing the latter’s credibility and sincerity of his motives.
Alvarez, who was once a critic of Vice President and former Davao City mayor Sara Duterte, said he is “supportive” of her efforts now as they share the same ideals, “such as this program to push against constitutional change.”
Back in 2018, FPPRD said that Sara Duterte was behind Alvarez’s removal from his speakership due to “insinuations that FPRRD will be impeached.” (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)