No suspension, only censure for ex-Speaker Alvarez over 'seditious' remarks

The House of Representatives has censured Davao del Norte 1st district Rep Pantaleon Alvarez for disorderly behavior in connection with his call on the Armed Forces of the Philippines to withdraw its support for the president.

The House Committee on Ethics had recommended the stiffer penalty of a 60-day suspension against Alvarez but this was amended in plenary, which imposed a lighter penalty of censure on the former speaker.

“By a unanimous vote of the members, being a quorum, the committee thereby recommends to the House of Representatives the imposition of the penalty of 60-day suspension from the service upon Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez for disorderly behavior and for violation of the House rules, particularly Section 141 Paragraph A of the code of conduct,” Ethics committee chairperson Felimon Espares said in his speech.

“After a thorough and extensive deliberation on the allegations and defenses of the parties and with observance of due process and fair play to both sides, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges finds that Rep. Pantaleon D. Alvarez has indeed uttered unparliamentary and inappropriate statements which reflected negatively upon the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives as an institution and of the members of the House individually and collectively,” he added.

But Representatives Jurdin Jesus Romualdo of Camiguin and Paul Daza of Northern Samar moved that a lighter penalty of censure be imposed instead as the 60-day suspension was disproportionate to the misconduct.

The Ethics committee report was amended to reflect the lighter penalty.

A total of 186 voted yes, 5 voted no while 7 abstained.

Alvarez was present during the voting and was even called to vote.

In an exclusive interview with GMA Integrated News after the voting, Alvarez said, “Ok lang yon. I think I deserve to be punished.”—LDF, GMA Integrated News