Alvarez resigns from PDP-Laban
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte 1st District) formally stepped down from his post as Secretary-General of the ruling PDP-Laban on Sunday, his office announced.
In a statement sent to reporters, the House lawmaker said that this was due to his intention to pursue a voters' education campaign for the country's 2022 polls, which rendered him "constrained to tender his irrevocable resignation from his position and membership in PDP-Laban effective immediately."
Alvarez also earlier left the majority bloc at the height of the lower chamber's speakership row, which saw him going independent as a "non-aligned" member of the House. He was careful to point out that he had not joined the minority bloc in later statements.
"Rep. Alvarez resigned from the Party because he intends to commit and pursue a voter’s education campaign for Filipinos given the importance of the 2022 elections," the statement read.
"Unfortunately, serving as a ranking officer and member of PDP-Laban while simultaneously handling this advocacy may be misconstrued by critics as politicking by the Party presently in power," it also said.
During the speakership row, Alvarez endorsed the now-ousted Alan Peter Cayetano, after which he disclosed that he abstained from voting for or against now Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
His office in its statement added that Alvarez also accepted the offer of former Secretary Renato de Villa to revive Reporma, a non-mainstream Party not affiliated with any personality reportedly seeking the Presidency, and take up its chairmanship.
"This way, the voter’s education campaign can proceed, and rightly be perceived, as politically neutral without risking possible backlash against PDP-Laban," it said, adding that "the Party’s assistance for those campaigns that led to historic electoral victories cannot be understated."
— Franco Luna with reports from Xave Gregorio
- Latest
- Trending
