Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez spoke up on Thursday about Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s claim that he called the latter part of the opposition after forming a political party separate from the administration-backed Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

“Alam mo sa totoo lang wala talaga akong sinabi niyan. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling yung kwento na yan pero wala akong sinasabi na part ng opposition,” Alvarez said in a press briefing.

(The truth is I didn’t say anything like that. I don’t know where this tale came from but I did not say she’s part of the opposition.)

“Paanong magiging part of the opposition, eh part ng administration ‘yan (How can she be part of the opposition when she’s part of the administration)?” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said Mayor Sara could have been fed with wrong information.

“Baka meron lang nagsabi ng mali siguro. Okay lang yun (It could be that somebody must have said something wrong. It’s okay),” Alvarez said.

Mayor Duterte earlier reacted to the Speaker’s alleged statement about her after the creation of the new political party called Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP, or Alliance for Change).

In a statement issued also on Thursday, Mayor Sara clarified that her father, President Duterte, gave them the blessing to form Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

“I would like everyone to know, including the Speaker of the House, that the unity I forged with the four Governors of Region 11 has the blessing of President Rodrigo Duterte,” she said.

“Even the use of the word Hugpong as the name of our regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago has the President’s approval,” she said.

She added: “I also specifically informed the President that I will not join PDP Laban.” /au

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