MANILA -- An ally of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez warns moves to disbar the House leader may lead to a confrontation between Congress and the Supreme Court.

In a statement, Deputy Minority Leader Harry Roque said that while the Supreme Court (SC) has repeatedly disbarred lawyers in the past due to immoral conduct, disbarring Alvarez may put the judiciary and legislative branches of government in conflict.

"However, it is my opinion that Speaker Alvarez should not be disbarred as this may lead the SC to a confrontation with a co-equal branch of government, which in turn may result in the possible impeachment of some of the justices.

"Immoral or not, the Office of the Speaker still commands numbers for impeachment," Roque said.

Alvarez was threatened with being delisted from the roll of attorneys after he admitted that he has a girlfriend. He also admitted in a DZMM interview that he has "many" children out of wedlock.

• READ: Unfazed by threats of disbarment, Alvarez admits having GF

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines last Thursday reminded Alvarez that, as a lawyer, he is expected to embody the “highest standards of morality, behavior and professionalism.”

The Speaker's personal life was brought to the limelight after he filed a complaint at the Ombudsman against Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative Antonio Floirendo, Jr. for graft over the government's allegedly anomalous lease of land to a firm "wholly owned" by the Floirendo family.

Marital woes and an altercation between the girlfriends of the two lawmakers were also thrown into the brew after Cathy Binag, Floirendo's partner, released a statement to confirm reports of a cat fight.

Floirendo had countered that their feud stems from rumors he was behind plots to oust Alvarez as speaker. Alvarez denied filing the charges because of a spat between their girlfriends.

Alvarez has since dismissed threats of his possible disbarment.

"Ako, kung meron silang nakikitang issue papa-disbar ako for having a girlfriend, 'di go ahead, mag-file ng complaint. Baka walang matirang abugado," he said.