Outspoken Robredo critic Alvarez says sorry as party backs her in polls
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte) — Partido Reporma president and one of Vice President Leni Robredo's most outspoken critics when he was House speaker — apologized on Thursday over their complicated history as he endorsed her for the presidency.
In 2017, Alvarez — then an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte — said he was studying the possibility of filing an impeachment complaint against Robredo, saying a video message she sent to a UN forum on illegal drugs "destroyed the reputation of the Philippines before the international community" and was a betrayal of public trust.
On Thursday, Alvarez said Robredo is the ideal candidate who aligns with the values of Partido Reporma.
"Aminin ko, naging critic din ako kay vice president. Marami rin ako nasabi hindi maganda at humihingi ako ng tawad, Ma'am," Alvarez told Robredo during a press con on Thursday.
(I will admit, I was a critic of the vice president. There were many things I said that were not nice and I'm asking for your forgiveness, Ma'am.)
Alvarez said this decision is his way of continuing the fight against Martial Law. He explained that when he was a student in Ateneo Law School, he joined marches against the Marcos dictatorship.
"Kaya para sa akin, gusto ko lang ituloy 'yung laban. 'Yung unang laban na sinalihan ko, itutuloy ko sa pangalawang laban na ito- Marcos [Jr.] vs. Leni," he said.
(For me, I want to continue the fight. The first fight that I joined- I want to continue it this time when it's Marcos [Jr.] vs. Leni.)
Alvarez was House speaker when Duterte declared martial law over Mindanao in response to the 2017 siege of Marawi by ISIS-linked terror groups.
As speaker, Alvarez was also among the Duterte allies who held hearings on Sen. Leila De Lima's alleged links to the drug trade and claimed to have watched a sex video of hers. De Lima, who has been in detention since 2017 on drug-related charges she says are made up and motivated by politics, is on Robredo's senatorial slate.
Robredo: Normal to have disagreements
On Thursday, Robredo replied that there is no need to say sorry, adding that it is normal to have disagreements.
"Unang una, Speaker, you do not need to apologize kasi over the course of our service naman, meron mga bagay na hindi talaga makakapagsunduan," she said.
(First of all, speaker, you do not need to apologize because over the course of our service, there are things which we won't be able to agree on anyway.)
"Bukas ako sa lahat as long as nagkakaisa ang aming hangarin, para ayusin ang ating bansa. 'Yung Reporma naman, pareho 'yung hangarin which is good governance. And nakakasundo kami na pareho 'yung aming mga pinaglalaban," she added.
("I am open to everything as long as we have the same desire to fix our country. Reporma and I have the same desire which is good governance. We also agreed that we are fighting for the same things." she added.
More than past disagreements, Robredo said that she and Alvarez both believe in putting the best interests of the country first.
'We talked to Lacson over text'
Earlier, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, another presidential aspirant, said he was quitting Partido Reporma after receiving word that they are going to endorse another bet.
"Hindi kami nakapagusap na ni Sen. Ping personal pero through text messages, nag-communicate na kami," Alvarez said on Thursday.
(I didn't talk to Sen. Ping personally but we communicated through text messages.)
Alvarez said it was the decision of "all the mayors and leaders in the province" of Davao del Norte to support the candidacy of Robredo.
Alvarez last July said Partido Reporma is open to forming an alliance with opposition group 1Sambayan, which later endorsed the bid of Robredo.
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