Duterte still fit for Malacañang comeback, says Alvarez

Former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is optimistic that former president Rodrigo Duterte is still capable of making a comeback for the country’s top post in the 2028 national elections notwithstanding his advanced age. 

Alvarez, a renowned ally of Duterte, said this was patently evident during the latter’s attendance in the nearly 14-hour grueling hearing of the House quad committee last week into his bloody drug war, where over 7,000 have died based on the government’s data.

Besides, he asserted that there is nothing in the 1987 Constitution that prohibits Duterte from running again as president since the constitutional rule on re-election is solely limited to the incumbent chief executive.

"That should not apply to the former President who is no longer incumbent. He can run again. You see, they grilled former President Duterte for 13 hours [but] he is still impregnable,” the Davao lawmaker said Monday.

“Let him run, let the people decide, and if there is a legal issue, let the courts resolve it,” he continued. 

Administration lawmakers, House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V and Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun, who are both staunch critics of the Dutertes, only wish the former president the best of luck. 

The 79-year-old is currently seeking a return to Davao City as mayor, running against his former Cabinet member, Karlo Nograles.

Alvarez criticized his colleagues in the quad comm, saying that despite their relentless efforts to corner Duterte, “the hearing failed to yield any new or significant allegations.”

"Everything that President Duterte said, he has said that before… If there is a case, then file it. But there’s nothing. It's just political theatrics,” Alvarez lamented. 

The outspoken Duterte reiterated that police must be spared from criminal liability because he is the sole responsible for the massive killings of his anti-narcotics campaign regardless of whether it’s legal or illegally executed. 

He also told the Quad Comm — under oath — that he planted evidence and personally killed criminals during his decade-long stint as Davao City mayor.

Despite the gravity of his admissions, Duterte said he is undaunted to the International Criminal Court, investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings linked to the war ion drugs, of possibly using his statements to finally prosecute him. 

The Philippines officially cut ties with the Rome Statute in March 2019 pursuant to Duterte’s marching orders. However, the tribunal asserted that it still retains jurisdiction over any potential crimes against humanity that occurred prior to the country’s withdrawal.

Notwithstanding their bitter feud, the quad comm echoed the stance of the government that it would not cooperate with the ICC by submitting its records.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since argued that the ICC has no business meddling in the Philippines. But Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin also said that the government will not object nor block Duterte if he wishes to surrender himself to the ICC.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced that it started its probe into Duterte’s notorious drug war following his pronouncements in the quad comm. 

Ortega and Khonghun said that they would yield to the findings of the DoJ, which holds exclusive jurisdiction on the pressing issue.