Duterte, top officials grace Speaker Alvarez's birthday party

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte — A show of force.

This was how a well-placed source described Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s 60th birthday party at the city hall on Friday night.

Several top officials were in attendance with President Rodrigo Duterte, who was the guest of honor.

Duterte sang a couple of lines of the OPM hit “Ikaw.”

Cabinet officials including Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also graced the event.

Photos released by Malacañang also showed Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua as among the guests.

A big number of congressmen also flew to Davao including House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Deputy House Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia, and former House speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

The source, who was at the party, told GMA News, who was at the party, claimed that many lawmakers went to the celebration out of fear that they will get zero budget if they were absent.

The source also believes that the event was aimed to show just how influential Alvarez is to his opponents.

GMA News Online is seeking a reaction from Alvarez.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said politics was not discussed during the event.

"Wala naman po. It was a very casual, laid back affair," Roque said.

In his speech, Duterte recalled how Alvarez convinced him to run for the presidency.

The media was barred from entering the city hall. —ALG, GMA News