Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Facebook)

Top-ranking members of the House of Representatives are urging immediate legal action against Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez for his supposed “seditious” remarks that may threaten the government’s stability.

House Majority Leader Manuel Jose "Mannix" Dalipe and Deputy Speaker David "Jay-jay" Suarez jointly condemned the former House Speaker for his recent appeal that is “not only divisive but also dangerous".

"Former Speaker Alvarez’s irresponsible remarks are not only seditious but also undermine the stability of our government and the rule of law,” said Dalipe in a statement.

“We cannot allow such reckless behavior to go unchecked," he emphasized.

It was during a political rally in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, when Alvarez appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to withdraw its support for President Marcos.

Alvarez, a longtime ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, warned the AFP of a potential war amid Marcos’ mishandling of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue.

For his part, Suarez said that inciting military action against the President is simply “unacceptable”.

He said such remarks served to “sow discord and weaken the fabric of our society”. 

“We must stand firm against any attempts to undermine the duly-elected government,” he underscored.

Both Dalipe and Suarez are calling for the immediate filing of legal charges against Alvarez to ensure accountability and prevent any further attempts to destabilize the government.

"We urge the appropriate authorities to take swift and decisive action against former Speaker Alvarez to uphold the integrity of our institutions and protect the democratic process," said Dalipe

Both lawmakers pointed out that at a time when a unified stance in upholding the Philippines’ sovereignty and democratic principles in the WPS is urgently needed, there is no such place for heightened political tensions.