Alvatez
taufits
Floirendo
BY WEIIDEII VIGIUA
FORMER speaker Pantaleon
Alvarez yesterday taunted Rep.
Antdnio "Tonyboy" Floirendo
(?DP-Laban, Davao del Notte),
saying he should 6tst focus onwin-
ning in his re-election bid before
thinking about joining the mce for
speaker in the l8th Congress.
'fie bas to win dre elections 6rs('
Alruez chuclded, teacting to Floi-
rendo who eadier said he was joining
tre race to blockmoves to re-install Al-
no't Congress
varez as speaker in t}le
Floirendo, who was President
Duterte's biggest campaign contribu-
tor in the 2016 presidential campaigrl
is being challenged by Vice Gov AJan
Dulali for the second congressional
district of the prcvince
Floirendo on Monday said part
of the reason he is joining the
race for speaker is "to corect a
big mistake I committed when I
emphatically endorsed Aftatez as
speake! to Piesideot Dutelte."
He said Ahzrez wx a "dictatorirl
vindictive and divisive leader in Con-
See ALVAREZ ) Page
ffiSi".ssInsight
Wednesday, APril 10, 2019
ALVAREZ
oustec"
gress &rat resultedinhis abruPt
Alvarez was noncommittal vrhen
if he is teady p Floirendo
asked face
in the nce for dre top House post
"ft will be presurryrtuous for us to
' declare out intentions without win-
ning the elections 6rs(' said Alwtez,
who is facing Davao del Norte Gov
Aathony del Rosatio for the 6rst
distrids congressional post.
Alvarez is dre candi&te of dre rul-
ing PDP-Laban while Del Rosario is
rururing undet the Hugpong ng PaC-
babago Party (FINP), the regional
party of Davao City Mayor Saia
Duterte, dre Presidentt daughter.
I
Alvarez' row vrith Floirendo
83
was not only over politics but also
repotedly over dreit clashing busi-
ness interests.
Alvarez was ousted as sPeake!
in July last yeat and was replaced
by Gloria Artoyo in a "coup" that
happened on the same day that the
President deliveted his thtd state
of the nation address.
FloLendo has said Ahatez vras
aftet him because of suspicions
that he was t}le one who plotted
to oust Ahzrez as speaker, .: :
lt 2017, Alvarcz filed a-graft
complaint against Floirendo befote
the Office of the Ombudsman
itr. connection with an alleged
anbmalous land lease contiact be-
tweeir &re Buteau of Corections
t *poplr pA,G€l
,I
and the Floitendo-family owned
Tagum Agricultural Development
Company Inc. (Iadeco) in 2003.
The then speaker even filed
House Resolution No 867 direct-
ing dre House committee on good .
govefirmeflt and accountabfity to
investigate tlle allegedly gtossly dis-
admntageous 25-year lease conttacL
Vith Floirendo's entry, the race
for speaket appears to be a 6ve-
way fight among him, Alvarez and
former foteign affaits secretary '
Alan Petgr Cayetanq former Lelte
Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez,
and Rep. I-ord Allan Jay Velasco
(PDP-Laban, Marindulue) who I
isknown for his closeness to both
the Ptesident and Duterte-Carpio.