Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday admitted having a girlfriend and no longer talking with his wife, adding that he is ready to face any disbarment case against him for having an affair outside marriage.
Alvarez spoke to reporters in a phone interview Thursday and admitted his relationship with Jennifer Maliwanag Vicencio, who had an altercation with Cathy Binag,听 live-in partner of Davao Del Norte Rep. Antonio 鈥淭onyboy鈥� Floirendo Jr.
搁贰础顿:听Solon鈥檚 partner: Speaker has 鈥榩etty鈥� reason for burning bridges听
The girlfriends鈥� fight allegedly triggered a rift between the two congressmen that compelled Speaker Alvarez to file a complaint before the Ombudsman against Floirendo in connection with a graft-ridden deal of the latter鈥檚 banana firm.
鈥淒iyos ko naman. Kayo naman, sino bang walang girlfriend? (My God, come on, who doesn鈥檛 have a girlfriend?)鈥� Alvarez said.
搁贰础顿:听Nothing personal: Speaker denies 鈥榝ighting GFs鈥� led to case vs solon
He admitted no longer talking to his wife Emelita Alvarez.
鈥淢atagal na po kaming hindi nag-uusap, sa totoo lang (We are no longer talking, to be honest),鈥� Alvarez said.
Asked how long he has been in a relationship with Jennifer, Alvarez said: 鈥溾�橸an ang secret (That鈥檚 a secret).鈥�
搁贰础顿:听Paola Alvarez, Speaker鈥檚 daughter, speaks up on tiff with Floirendo听
Alvarez, a lawyer, said he is unfazed by a possible disbarment case against him for having a relationship outside marriage.
鈥淜ung mayroon silang nakikitang ethical issue, i-disbar ako for having a girlfriend, edi go ahead (If they see any ethical issue and they want to disbar me for having a girlfriend, then go ahead),鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez joked that there will be no more lawyers in the country if lawyers would be disbarred for having affairs.
鈥淏aka walang matirang abogado (There won鈥檛 be lawyers left),鈥� Alvarez said, laughing.
To recall, Senator Leila de Lima, now in detention on drug-related charges, also admitted having an affair with her driver Ronnie Dayan, who is accused of being her bagman in the alleged Bilibid drug trade. De Lima faced a disbarment case before the Supreme Court over the affair and the drug charges.
搁贰础顿:听SC orders De Lima to answer disbarment case听
Alvarez even criticized De Lima, the vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, for having an affair with her subordinate, which for him showed her true character.
In the interview, Alvarez denied criticizing De Lima for her affair.
搁贰础顿:听Alvarez to De Lima: Relationship with subordinate is sexual harassment听
The Speaker said what he criticized was De Lima鈥檚 alleged involvement in the Bilibid drug trade when she was justice secretary.
鈥淗indi naman 鈥榶ung relasyon niya ang binabatikos ko. 鈥榊ung involvement niya sa illegal drugs 鈥榶ung binatikos ko,鈥� Alvarez said.
(It was not the relationship that I criticized. It was her involvement in illegal drugs that I criticized.)
鈥淏akit ko batikusin affair na 鈥榶an? Huwag na tayo magplastikan. Halos lahat naman may affair-affair,鈥� he added.
(Why would I even criticize her affair? Let鈥檚 not be pretentious. Almost everyone has an affair.)
Alvarez said he is just enjoying his relationship with his girlfriend and denied that the graft complaint he filed against Floirendo was because of their women鈥檚 fight.
鈥淏eing Speaker, I鈥檓 enjoying the ride,鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez maintained that he filed the graft complaint because of the undue damage Floirendo鈥檚 banana firm caused the country.
鈥淗uwag niyo tingnan ito na away -way. Ang kine-question ko in behalf of the government 鈥榶ung isang malaanomalyang kontrata na pinasok ng kumpaniya ni Congressman Floirendo,鈥� Alvarez said.
(Don鈥檛 look at this as a fight. What I鈥檓 questioning here in behalf of the government is this anomalous contract that Congressman Floirendo鈥檚 firm entered into.)
Alvarez sued Floirendo for graft for alleged conflict of interest when his banana firm Tagum Agricultural Development Inc. (Tadeco) renewed its joint venture agreement (JVA) with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in the lease of 5,308.36 hectares of land at the Davao Penal Colony for a banana plantation even when he was congressman in 2003.
Alvarez said this was a clear case of conflict of interest because the Constitution prohibits members of Congress from entering into contracts with government. He denied filing the complaint because of their girlfriends鈥� spat.
搁贰础顿:听Alvarez seeks probe of fellow Duterte ally Floirendo
Binag earlier told this reporter that听Alvarez鈥檚 wife Emelita even goes to her and Floirendo for help every time she has problems with the Speaker. Binag and Mrs. Alvarez are friends.
Binag did not elaborate what these problems are. 鈥淭umatakbo si Emily sa amin to complain sa ginagawa ni Bebot sa kaniya,鈥� Binag said, referring to Alvarez.
(She runs to us to complain about what Bebot is doing to her).
To recall, Speaker Alvarez wanted the Congressional Spouses Foundation to vacate its office in the House of Representatives supposedly because Congress needed space.
That foundation of lawmakers鈥� spouses happened to be headed by the Speaker鈥檚 wife. JE/rga
搁贰础顿:听Speaker Alvarez wants liaison unit, lawmakers鈥� spouses out of Batasan