Paola Alvarez denies taking House mace

Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez, daughter of former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, denied accusations that she stole the mace of the House of Representatives amid the leadership squabble that delayed President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.

“My official matter on the subject is that I did not steal the mace,” Alvarez said in an email.

Suspicions focused on young Alvarez after a photograph of her holding the mace, which is the symbol of the House, in front of her father’s desk at the Speaker’s office had circulated on social media.

But according to Alvarez, the photo was taken after the Congress’ plenary session and the SONA of Duterte.

She added it was impossible for her to steal the mace at the time as she was not allowed on the floor.

“There is no way I could have ever gotten near it during the SONA or the plenary session because I am not allowed on the floor. CCTV (closed circuit television camera) will also confirm (this),” Alvarez said.

However, Alvarez said if she could, she would have kept the mace in the National Treasury “just to spare the whole country of the embarrassment” the lawmakers did.

“My issue on the matter is not about removing my father as Speaker but the lack of respect shown in the House of Representatives. They even had no respect for the President’s day,” she said.

Alvarez also expressed frustration as she felt that all preparations to ensure that the administration’s achievements are highlighted during the SONA went to waste.

“As a Filipino, I feel very sad that this is the state of our affairs. Filipinos are easy to forget. I hope next elections we remember and vote wisely,” Alvarez said.

Former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took her oath as the new Speaker before the SONA even though the House mace was missing and even the secretariat that would have recorded deliberations was absent.

Arroyo was formally sworn in again in a session after the SONA. A total of 184 lawmakers voted for Arroyo, while 12 abstained.

The lawmakers on Wednesday approved a resolution which formalized Arroyo’s speakership.