In the theatre of political absurdity, Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez has taken the stage with a performance so egregious, so inflammatory, it threatens to set the entire nation ablaze. His call for the withdrawal of support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the guise of peace and order is nothing short of seditious, a dagger aimed at the heart of democracy.

Alvarez’s delusional defense, that his appeal was made in a “peaceful and orderly manner,” is a slap in the face to the rule of law. Let’s be clear: advocating for the abandonment of a democratically elected leader, especially by those sworn to protect the state, is a blatant violation of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which unequivocally prohibits acts of sedition.

His feeble attempt to cloak his treachery in constitutional rhetoric is laughable at best and insidious at worst. The constitutional provision he cites does not grant license to incite rebellion but rather mandates the armed forces to protect the state against external and internal threats. It is a duty to be executed within the bounds of legality, not a blank check for insurrection.

Alvarez’s admission of being “emotional” further exposes the vacuity of his arguments. Emotional outbursts have no place in the hallowed halls of governance; they are the refuge of the incompetent and the desperate. To use one’s emotions as a justification for seditious behavior is not only cowardly but a betrayal of the public trust.

His fearmongering over a supposed impending war with China is equally repugnant. While tensions in the South China Sea are indeed a cause for concern, they demand measured diplomacy, not reckless abandonment of leadership. Alvarez’s invocation of doomsday scenarios serves only to stoke panic and division among Filipinos, playing directly into the hands of our adversaries.

But Alvarez’s folly does not end there. His shameless attempt to deflect blame onto Malacañang for his own reckless rhetoric reeks of cowardice. To blame others for the consequences of one’s actions is the hallmark of a spineless demagogue, unworthy of the title of statesman.

His colleagues’ tepid response to his sedition is equally disheartening. Their failure to condemn unequivocally such dangerous behavior speaks volumes about the moral bankruptcy of our political class. Sedition, whether committed by a lawmaker or a layperson, must be met with the full force of the law, lest we descend further into chaos and anarchy.

As we stand at the precipice of uncertainty, facing threats both foreign and domestic, now more than ever, we must unite as one nation, indivisible in our resolve to defend our democracy. We cannot allow the petty ambitions of power-hungry demagogues to tear us apart. We must hold fast to the principles of justice, truth, and the rule of law, lest we lose ourselves in the darkness of tyranny.

In the end, history will judge us not by the words we speak, but by the actions we take. Let us choose wisely, for the fate of our nation hangs in the balance.