Discontent over Alvarez led to his ouster, not outside influence —Panelo

Discontent among members of the House of Representatives played a bigger role in the ouster of Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker than outside influence, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Friday.

"Ultimately, whoever suggested the ouster, ang magde-decide pa rin ang members ng Kongreso," Panelo said in a radio interview. "'Di ba narinig natin iyong mga bumoto, sinasabi nila they were discontented with the way it (House) is being run."

Panelo said this a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said it was his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who "maneuvered" Alvarez's ouster in July.

Alvarez was replaced by former President and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"Rightly or wrongly, iyan ang perception ng mga bumoto laban sa kaniya," Panelo said. "Pero as far as the administration is concerned, iyong ginawa ni Speaker Alvarez [ay] pabor sa administrasyon, iyong mga bills na sinertify na urgent, napalusot niya lahat iyon."

Panelo said not even the President can remove a Speaker if it doesn't have the support of the members of the chamber

"Kaya madali’t-sabi, kahit pa… kahit pa and even assuming na Presidente ang magsabing tanggalin ninyo iyan, kung ayaw naman ng mga tao doon dahil hanga sila sa liderato...ultimately, it’s the House of the Representatives that decided, regardless of whoever initiated it."

Alvarez was ousted five months after his feud with Sara Duterte became public. The rift started when Alvarez allegedly bragged that he can oust the President in his capacity as Speaker, although he denied making such claim.

Separate from his feud with Sara, Alvarez had been consistent in his hardline stance that did not earn him allies, like when he punished House leaders who did not vote in favor of death penalty bill for drug-related crimes by stripping them of their committee chairmanships and deputy speaker posts. Arroyo was one of those who lost their posts as a result of their vote. —KBK, GMA News