Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon (left), Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Facebook)

Politics have nothing to do with the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges' action on the ethics complaint filed against Marcos administration critic, Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez. 

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon made this clarification Friday, May 3 amid speculation that Alvarez anti-administration stance and closeness to former president Rodrigo Duterte caused him to get in trouble with the House. 

"Well, gusto ko lang po linawin (I just want to clarify) that this complaint started because a case was filed against him. So, the Committee on Ethics has to act on the complaint filed. So, wala hong politika rito (there are no politics here)," Bongalon, a vice chairman of the committee told reporters. 

He told reporters a day earlier that Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy had filed an ethics complaint against Alvarez. 

The complaint was found to be sufficient in form and in substance. The House panel took jurisdiction of the case afterward. 

"Nagkataon po na inire-reklamo ang ating kasamahan sa Kongreso ngayon (It just so happens that a colleague of ours in Congress has a complaint against him). And the committee has to act on it," noted Bongalon, a lawyer. 

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https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/2/duterte-ally-alvarez-slapped-with-ethics-case-house-panel-takes-jurisdiction

He says it's too early to know whether or not the ethics complaint would prosper and result to any punishment on Alvarez, a former Speaker of the House. 

"And whether or not there's a merit on the case, I think it is still premature. And wala po itong halong politika (And there's no politics at play here)," said the administration congressman. 

Bongalon further opined that Alvarez's link to Duterte was "immaterial" to the case. 

Duterte, Marcos' direct predecessor, is hands down the most influential among President Marcos' critics.