Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (left), Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Facebook)

Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel says that Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez's appeal to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for it to withdraw its support from President Marcos is "tantamount to an act of sedition or rebellion". 

"The remarks of former Speaker [are] uncalled for. That is tantamount to an act of sedition or rebellion," Pimentel said in a statement Monday, April 15, referring to his fellow Mindanaoan Alvarez. 

"Now is not the time to be divisive when our country is trying to promote our country to be an investment haven to foreign investors," said the veteran solon and National Unity Party (NUP) stalwart. 

"Instead we shoul all unite and give our support to PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos) with his effort for economic reforms," Pimentel said. 

HAVE YOU READ THIS? 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/31/alvarez-s-resignation-call-for-pbbm-shows-he-is-pro-china-says-adiong 

In a political rally Sunday in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Alvarez told the AFP to withdraw its support from the Chief Executive. This was supposedly in response to developments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue. 

It was during Holy Week last month when the former House Speaker advised Marcos to resign as president so that Vice President Sara Duterte could take his place. 

This advice was an offshoot of Alvarez’s apparent dislike of Marcos' handling of the WPS issue. 

Alvarez is a close ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is the father of the Vice President and a critic of the current administration.  

Marcos is coming off a historic trilateral summit with United States (US) President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, wherein the three leaders essentially told off China for its aggressive behavior in both the South China Sea, where the WPS is located; and the East China Sea.