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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Alvarez scores small victory in House ethics case 

Alvarez scores small victory in House ethics case 

Published May 17, 2024 08:56 am

At A Glance

  • Embattled Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez achieved a small victory--but a victory nonetheless--in his ongoing ethics case at the House of Representatives.

FB_IMG_1676337792299.jpgDavao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Facebook)



Embattled Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez achieved a small victory--but a victory nonetheless--in his ongoing ethics case at the House of Representatives.

Citing "lack of evidence", the House Committee on Ethics chaired by COOP NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares dismissed one of the three charges against Alvarez as stated in the ethics complaint against him.

Dropped was the allegation of negligence of duty over Alvarez’s alleged habitual absences from committee hearings and plenary sessions in the House.

Alvarez, a former House Speaker, attended the ethics panel hearing Thursday afternoon, May 16 wherein he faced the complainant, Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy.

Espares held an impromptu briefing with House reporters after the hearing to explain their decision to dismiss one of the charges.

“The members resolved today that we able to dismiss that just because lack of evidence. Kasi yung ebidensya lang naman nila (complainant) doon is the statement of one of the colleague here na nananawagan na mag-duty siya (Alvarez) dito sa Congress. And then, there is no specific or a concrete documents on how many absences,” said the panel chairman,

(The complainant's only evidence is the statement of one of the colleague here calling on Alvarez to perform his duties in Congress.)

ALSO READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/15/solon-says-it-s-been-a-while-since-alvarez-was-spotted-at-the-house



“And on the part of the respondent, nagpakita naman siya ng kanyang letter (he showed us his letter) to the Secretary General [Reginald Velasco] of his request for allowing him to work in the district. At hindi naman lahat ng trabaho ng isang representative is really to….nandito yung presence all the time,” explained Espares.

(The work of a representative doesn't require him or her to present here all the time.)

Uy cited three grounds to punish Alvarez: First, the ethics complaint cited Alvarez's continued and unjustified absences from committee hearings and sessions in the House; Second were the libelous remarks made by Alvarez against his fellow government officials, including the vice governor of Davao del Norte and other local officials; and third, Alvarez's alleged seditious remarks during an April rally in Tagum wherein he asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to withdraw support from President Marcos.

The Committee on Ethics will hold its next hearing on the case on Monday morning, May 20. It remains to be seen if the case will be resolved before the sine die adjournment of Congress that same week.

Related Tags

Pantaleon Alvarez ethics complaint Committee on Ethics
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