Alvarez says 2019 no election scenario is just an imagination

FILE: House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. (Photo: Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez/Facebook)

The speaker of the House of Representatives said that a no election scenario for 2019 is just an imagination that people make to “scare themselves.”

“Maraming… parang mga bata na pilit nag-i-imagine tayo ng multo na wala naman. Gusto nating takutin ang sarili natin (There are a lot of…people that are like children who imagine ghosts that do not exist. We want to scare ourselves),” Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said in an interview with DZMM on March 20.

“Para sa akin, wala namang plano na ganyan (For me, there are no such plans),” he added.

Alvarez was referring to speculations that President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies are consistent in postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this May to pull off a no-election scenario for 2019.

“Tumutulong na nga ako dun sa possible senatorial candidates ng administrasyon. Kailangan ipakilala ko rin sila ‘di ba? (I am even helping out possible senatorial candidates of the administration. I need to introduce them too, right?)” the speaker shared about his rounds to some areas to introduce possible candidates of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

In the same interview, Alvarez also clarified two main reasons for voting to postpone the barangay and SK elections.

“Well isang malaking reason dun, halimbawa nagka-election tayo ng barangay eh unang-una, ‘di pa lahat nalinis na ‘yung tungkol sa droga. Marami pa rin ang may pangamba ‘pag nag-eleksyon tayo, syempre ‘yung mananalo dun ay may pera. Eh itong drug lords na ito, kailangan nila suportahan ‘yung mga kandidato nila para sa barangay para ganun pa rin. Makontrol pa rin nila ‘yung distribution ng drugs (One main reason is for example if we do have the barangay elections, the drug deal has not been cleared out yet. There are still worries that in an election, those who will win will be those with money. And these drug lords, need to support their candidates for the barangay, so they can still control the distribution of drugs),” he stated.

The other reason that Alvarez cited was the existence of many election periods. He said that for him, it would be better to hold elections all at the same time, instead of having them periodically. Apart from the efforts, it will also save money and time.

“Para sa akin, ‘yung halalan sabay-sabay na, hindi ‘yung maya’t maya (For me, we should hold the elections all at once, not have them consecutively),” he added.