MANILA, Philippines - He belongs to the Manobo tribe where multiple wives are allowed, so he cannot be sued for polygamy.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said this recently as he pushed for legislation that will allow the dissolution of marriage, which he stressed is different from divorce.

His proposal, he said, does not necessarily mean it will be to his personal advantage.

“Ako po ay miyembro ng isang tribe sa Mindanao kung saan po puwede po sa amin iyong multiple marriages (I’m a member of a tribe in Mindanao where we are allowed to have multiple marriages). At iyung nag-go-govern po na batas sa amin ay iyung kultura po ng tribo (And the law that governs us is the culture of our tribe),” the lawmaker, who represents Davao del Norte, said in a recent radio interview.

Alvarez, an ally of President Duterte and stalwart of the ruling PDP-Laban party, admitted to having girlfriends other than his wife, even acknowledging that his falling out with erstwhile friend Rep. Tonyboy Floirendo was borne out of their individual lovers’ spat.

The Speaker, a lawyer by profession, clarified he is not covered by Sharia law as the specific law that governs their indigenous people’s tribe is the Ibra law that allows men to legally have several spouses.

“Opo, puwede po iyun sa batas po namin. Ngayon po, kaya ko lang naman po talaga itong tinutulak dahil gusto ko pong i-address iyung mga hinaing po ng karamihan (Yes, that is allowed in our law. The reason I’m pushing the dissolution of troubled couple’s marriage is that I want to address the problem of many couples),” he told dzBB anchors Arnold Clavio and Ali Sotto on Tuesday.

Alvarez reiterated that he is just providing an avenue for couples who can no longer bear their union.

He said there are many married couples who can no longer stand each other, but the law makes it hard for them so the only way out for them is marriage annulment.

Annulment is “adversarial” in nature, not to mention its cost, he said, adding that his bill will provide an easy way out.

“Previously married persons can remain friends and better parents, despite their differences, since they no longer have to sling mud at each other in front of a judge just to convince the magistrate that their marriage should be declared void,” he said.

The Speaker has designated House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano, also estranged from her husband, to take charge of shepherding the measure that hopes to free couples from their mutual prohibitive bond.

“I thank Rep. Pia for her commitment to file a bill that will allow for the dissolution of marriage without the need for an extensively adversarial system. Married persons can mutually agree to end their marriage subject to the approval of the court,” he added.

“Admittedly, there is a sad reality about some marriages. We do not always get it right the first time around. We have to change this,” Alvarez said.