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Pantaleon Alvarez

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 203.87.133.135 (talk) at 03:31, 7 August 2017 (→Issues: placed martial law issue and secessionism under one subsection). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Díaz and the surname or paternal family name is Álvarez.
The Honorable
Pantaleón Álvarez
24th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 25, 2016
PresidentRodrigo Duterte
Preceded byFeliciano Belmonte Jr.
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Davao del Norte's 1st District
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 30, 2016
Preceded byAntonio Rafael del Rosario
In office
June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2001
Preceded byRogelio Sarmiento
Succeeded byArrel Olaño
Secretary of Transportation and Communications
In office
January 20, 2001 – July 3, 2002
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded byVicente Rivera
Succeeded byLeandro Mendoza
Personal details
Born
Pantaleón Díaz Álvarez

(1958-01-10) January 10, 1958 (age 66)[1]
Tagum, Davao, Philippines
Political partyPDP–Laban
Other political
affiliations		Coalition For Change
SpouseEmelita Apostol Álvarez
Alma materFar Eastern University
Ateneo de Manila University
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer

Pantaleón "Bebot" Díaz Álvarez (born January 10, 1958) is a Filipino politician and the current Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines and represents the 1st District of Davao del Norte, the Philippines.[2]

From 2001 to 2002, he was acting Secretary of Transportation and Communications.[3]

Early life and education

Álvarez was born on January 10, 1958. In 1978, he obtained a bachelor of arts (AB) degree from Far Eastern University. He then studied law and graduated from the Ateneo de Manila Law School in 1983.[1][3]

Career

Official Philippine House of Representatives portrait of Álvarez in 2016

Álvarez was in private law practice from 1984 to 1986. From 1987 to 1992, he was a member of the staff of Philippine Senator Wigberto Tañada. He then became an action officer at the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). From action officer, he rose through the ranks, becoming senior assistant manager and chief operating officer of MIAA in March 1995, a position he held until September 1997.[1][3][4]

In 1998, he was elected congressman from Davao del Norte's First District. He served as vice-chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Communication and was a member of nine other congressional committees.

In January 2001, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed him acting Secretary of Transportation and Communications, where he served until July 2002.[1][3][4] Among Álvarez's achievements were the adoption of the light railway expansion program, improvement of the Philippine National Railway, and computerization of the department and attached agencies.[5] He also spearheaded the slogan "OKS na OKS sa DOTC" which means "Organisado, Kalinisan at Seguridad".[6]

In 2005, Álvarez along with four other former DOTC officials where charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the construction of NAIA Terminal 3. In 2010, the charges were dismissed by the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division due to lack of evidence.[1][7][4][8]

On Monday, July 25, 2016 the opening of the 17th Congress He was elected as the 24th Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker of the House of Representatives with 251 votes.[9]

Issues

Martial Law in Mindanao

Álvarez was an advocate for the secession of all of Mindanao from the Philippines.[10][11][12][13]

He is in favor of extending the Martial Law In Mindanao until 2022, the End of Rodrigo Duterte's term, citing the threat of terrorism and insurgency in Mindanao.

Tobacco Funds

Alvarez has threatened to dissolved the Court of Appeals and to disbar CA Special Fourth Division, Stephen Cruz, Edwin Sorongon and Nina Antonino-Valenzuela, for granting the habeas corpus petition of six Ilocos Norte officials under their custody for the investigation regarding the "Tobacco Funds" issue. Alvarez in a radio interview said, “They are not even our co-equal branch… They are merely a creation of Congress—that Court of Appeals. They only exist because they were created by Congress. Any time, we can dissolve them. So they better start thinking,”.[14]

Influence Peddling & "Imbecile" Facebook Post

Alvarez has been accused of peddling influence in the Bureau of Customs by Mandy Anderson, a Bureau of Customs official. Anderson revealed that Alvarez had been using his position as a lawmaker to urge Faeldon, the BoC commissioner, to appoint Alvarez's recommendations. [15] The accusation came after Mandy Anderson had been criticized and scolded in a congressional hearing by Majority Leader, Farinas, due to a Facebook status message, wherein she called Alvarez an "imbecile" for threatening to dissolve the court of appeals.[16] Alvarez has refuted Anderson's claims, saying that he does not know the Customs Officers whose promotion he endorsed and he only knew him through his resume. [17]

Marriage Dissolution Bill

Alvarez, along with 14 co-authors, had formally filed House Bill No. 6027, titled “An Act Providing for Grounds for the Dissolution of a Marriage,”. The bill lists irreconcilable differences or severe and chronic unhappiness causing the “irreparable breakdown of marriage” as the possible grounds for its dissolution. The bill prescribes imprisonment of 5 years in prison if spouse is forced to petition for ‘marriage dissolution’. [18] After news of the filing, Alvarez's wife breaks her silence and revealed her grievances regarding her marriage with Alvarez, revealing that she has long since known that Alvarez had been cheating on her countless times. That it was only during after he became Speaker that Alvarez had completely broke off relations with her.

In an interview, Emelita Alvarez, said “Actually I was abandoned right after Sona when he became the Speaker. We’ve been together for almost 30 years and I’ve been there since the very start that was in ’88. We’ve been through ups and downs, I’m there and people of Davao del Norte will testify that I was even the one who campaigned for him but anyway life should go on,”.

Emelita Alvarez also refuted her husband's claim that he's from the Manobo Tribe, wherein Polygamy is allegedly acceptable. She states that Alvarez was clearly a Catholic when she married him. [19]

Impeachment efforts against the VP and Chief Justice

Alvarez has been known for facilitating and endorsing impeachment efforts against Vice President, Robredo and Supreme Court Chief Justice, Sereno. Alvarez's endorsed impeachment complaint against Robredo came after the Vice President reported to the United Nations the state of the country and the War on Drugs that President Duterte's administration is currently conducting. Alvarez claims that Robredo's act of portraying the country in a bad light is a betrayal of public trust, and thus impeachable.[20] Alvarez has also revealed that the congress will be discussing possible impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Sereno for meddling in the case of the Congress' detention of Ilocos-6, wherein Sereno granted the right of habeas corpus to the six individuals.[21]

Death Penalty Advocate

Alvarez had been a staunch supporter of reviving capital punishment, despite the United Nations' moratorium on death penalties, even going so far as to threaten the "dismissal" of representatives who refused to sign the death penalty bill. [22][23] Alvarez also advocates and encourages the killing of criminals, following the Duterte administration's zero tolerance policy on crimes and corruption.[24]

Animosity against the Catholic Church

Alvarez has been a vocal critic of the Catholic Church for opposing the death penalty bill and the Duterte's administration's War on Drugs[25][26]. This led to his calls for pro-death penalty Catholics to change religion[27], and to propose taxation of Catholic-run schools[28], despite its expressed exclusion in the Philippine Civil Code.

Close ties with the President

Alvarez, a longtime ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, became House Speaker right after the PDP-Laban reshuffled after the election results came out.

Since then, Alvarez has backed Duterte on issues, like the Martial Law in Mindanao[29], the postponement of Barangay Elections[30], and Duterte's War on Drugs, which he even promoted to the ASEAN.[31]

There is general consensus that as long as Duterte is in power, Alvarez will remain a House Speaker.[32]

Many critics have expressed that other than having close ties with the President, Alvarez is ill-suited for his position as a Speaker, due to his ineffectiveness in uniting the house to pass bills on critical issues. [33]

Personal life

Álvarez's daughter Paola is the current PDP-Laban spokesperson as well as in the Department of Finance.[34]

Álvarez admitted to have fathered eight children from three different women out of wedlock.[35] He has also been open about his adulterous living, saying: "Why do you have to bother about how many wives ... It’s a chauvinist statement but really there are so many women and so short a time in this world."[36] Although married, he is in a relationship with Jennifer Vicencio.[35]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pantaleon Alvarez.
  1. ^ a b c d e Arcangel, Xianne (July 25, 2016). "Duterte pal Alvarez comes out of retirement to wrest speakership". GMA News. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  2. ^ "DAVAO (DAVAO DEL NORTE) - Provincial Results - Eleksyon2016 - Results". GMA News. May 18, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Yap, DJ (May 22, 2016). "Ties that bind: Duterte and Alvarez go back a long way". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "NAIA III Fiasco: Meet the Cast of Characters". Newsbreak. September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  5. ^ "DOTC employees back Álvarez, hit calls for resignation". Philippine Star. May 25, 2002. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  6. ^ "DOTC Drumbeats "OKS na OKS" Campaign for the First 100 Days of Macapagal-Arroyo's Administration". Office of the Press Secretary of the Philippines. Archived from the original on February 27, 2002. Retrieved July 15, 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "4 ex-govt officials in NAIA-3 graft case cleared". GMA News. November 3, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  8. ^ "Next Speaker? Pantaleón Álvarez and the ghost of NAIA 3". Rappler. May 14, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  9. ^ Cepeda, Mara (July 25, 2016). "Pantaleon Alvarez is new House Speaker". Rappler. Retrieved July 12, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ^ "Peace talks back to square one". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 19, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  11. ^ "Leaders to push for Mindanao independence incase of power grab". Philippine Information Agency. July 14, 2005. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  12. ^ "Pantaleón Álvarez is picked to be Duterte's Speaker but Karlo Nograles is a close 2nd". Politics.com.ph. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  13. ^ "Sultan Rejects Secession of Mindanao". Arab News. January 18, 2006. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  14. ^ Yap, DJ (June 16, 2017). "Speaker Alvarez threatens to dissolve Court of Appeals". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 7, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ Colcol, Erwin (July 29, 2017). "BOC staff: Alvarez threatened to give me hell for not promoting 'unqualified' employee". GMA News. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  16. ^ Cepeda, Mara (July 26, 2017). "Faeldon's Chief of Staff, grilled for calling Alvarez an "Imbecile"". Rappler. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  17. ^ Yap, DJ (Philippine Daily Inquirer). "Alvarez endorsed customs officers because he's overqualified". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  18. ^ Nonato, Vince (August 06, 2017). "Alvarez has opposition solons as co-authors in marriage dissolution bill". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  19. ^ Nonato, Vince (July 28, 2017). "Speaker Alvarez' wife breaks silence". Philippine Daily Inquirer. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  20. ^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson. "Alvarez eyes impeachment rap vs Robredo this time". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  21. ^ Arnaiz, Jani. "Alvarez considering possible impeachment of Sereno over CA issue". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  22. ^ "Alvarez: House leaders vs death penalty will be replaced". Rappler. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  23. ^ News, RG Cruz, ABS-CBN. "Speaker Alvarez confident death penalty bill will get swift OK in House". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2017-08-07. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson. "Alvarez: Shoot criminals on sight". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  25. ^ "Alvarez on Church opposition to death penalty: 'Why protect evil?'". Rappler. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  26. ^ Nonato, Vince F. "Alvarez: CBCP has no moral ascendancy on drug war". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  27. ^ "Alvarez to Catholics: Look for new religion if shunned for backing death penalty". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  28. ^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson. "Alvarez eyes taxing church-run schools". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  29. ^ Cayabyab, Marc Jayson. "Speaker Alvarez leads allies in supporting martial law extension". Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  30. ^ "Alvarez supports barangay polls delay". Manila Standard. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  31. ^ "Support Duterte's war on drugs, Alvarez tells ASEAN lawmakers". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  32. ^ "With Duterte's backing, Alvarez will remain Speaker – lawmakers". Rappler. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  33. ^ "Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, acerbic and arrogant". www.bworldonline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  34. ^ http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/377729/newstogo/panayam-kay-atty-paola-alvarez-kaugnay-sa-paghahanda-para-sa-unang-sona-ni-pres-duterte
  35. ^ a b "Pwede naman pala! Duterte says Alvarez is a Muslim so he can have many women". Politiko (politics.com.ph). April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  36. ^ Romero, Alexis (April 4, 2017). "Duterte: Non-Catholic Alvarez's affairs a non-issue". Philippine Star. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by
Rogelio Sarmiento
 Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Davao del Norte's 1st district
1998–2001 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Antonio Rafael Del Rosario
 Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Davao del Norte's 1st district
2016–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Vicente Rivera
 Secretary of Transportation and Communications
2001–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
2016–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas President of the Senate of the Philippines Order of Precedence of the Philippines
as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 		Succeeded byas Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Lines of succession
Preceded byas President of the Senate of the Philippines Philippine presidential line of succession
as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 		Last
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Pantaleon_Alvarez&oldid=794296788"