Koko urges Sara to seek Senate seat to boost support for federalism
By AJ Siytangco
Published Aug 16, 2018 03:20 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III urged presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to seek a Senate seat in the May 2019 midterm elections to boost the rationale of the proposed shift to a federal government.
Pimentel on Thursday said he believes Duterte-Carpio's being in the Senate would allow Mindanao to have more representation in tackling national issues, including the national budget, and the planned transition towards federalism.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) At present, there are three senators who hail from Mindanao: Pimentel from Cagayan de Oro, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri from Bukidnon, and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao from Sarangani. “Her experience as mayor of one of the country’s highly successful cities eminently qualifies her to speak for Mindanao, for peace and order, for the environment, and for the socio-economic upliftment of the marginalized sectors,” he said of Duterte-Carpio. Pimentel, like his partymate President Rodrigo Duterte, has been pushing for a federal government. They believe that it would decentralize the government and would empower the regions. The President, in a speech last June, claimed that federalism would also address the long-standing conflict in Mindanao. In his appeal, Pimentel said the proposed federal shift "is an uphill climb." Senators earlier placed the priority measure in the backburner pending the outcome of the Senate's public hearings on the proposed charter change as they raise issues on the draft federal charter of the Consultative Commission. Pimentel recognized Duterte-Carpio's popularity, particularly citing the influence of her newly-founded Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in regions outside Mindanao despite it only being a regional political party. He attributed it to her "charisma and strong-willed personality." Last Monday, the HNP formally signed an alliance with the National People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), and National Unity Party (NUP) and some local parties based in Luzon and Visayas. In the same event, however, Duterte-Carpio reiterated that she will not run for a Senate seat in the 2019 elections. PDP-Laban members can join HNP Pimentel said he sees no threat with the plan of some members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to join the HNP. "That's consistent. It does not affect us. It does not raise any issue because, as I have stated time and time again, we allow members in a national party to have simultaneous membership in a regional party like Hugpong," the PDP-Laban president said in an interview during the first anniversary celebration of the PDP Cares, the party's humanitarian arm, Wednesday night. Pimentel confirmed that some of their members indeed plan to join HNP, "and they will not lose their party membership." He reminded his partymates, however, that they should be From Davao region to be able to join HNP. The senator also reiterated that they will not be affected by the HNP's growing network, and President Duterte's reported attendance in the oath-taking of the regional party's members in Davao City on Friday. Pimentel said the HNP can also endorse its own senatorial slate for the senatorial elections, although it cannot issue a certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) to candidates for such a national position. The PDP-Laban, for its part, will endorse its own candidates. Pimentel said President Duterte, anyway, had promised to campaign for the party's candidates.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) At present, there are three senators who hail from Mindanao: Pimentel from Cagayan de Oro, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri from Bukidnon, and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao from Sarangani. “Her experience as mayor of one of the country’s highly successful cities eminently qualifies her to speak for Mindanao, for peace and order, for the environment, and for the socio-economic upliftment of the marginalized sectors,” he said of Duterte-Carpio. Pimentel, like his partymate President Rodrigo Duterte, has been pushing for a federal government. They believe that it would decentralize the government and would empower the regions. The President, in a speech last June, claimed that federalism would also address the long-standing conflict in Mindanao. In his appeal, Pimentel said the proposed federal shift "is an uphill climb." Senators earlier placed the priority measure in the backburner pending the outcome of the Senate's public hearings on the proposed charter change as they raise issues on the draft federal charter of the Consultative Commission. Pimentel recognized Duterte-Carpio's popularity, particularly citing the influence of her newly-founded Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in regions outside Mindanao despite it only being a regional political party. He attributed it to her "charisma and strong-willed personality." Last Monday, the HNP formally signed an alliance with the National People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), and National Unity Party (NUP) and some local parties based in Luzon and Visayas. In the same event, however, Duterte-Carpio reiterated that she will not run for a Senate seat in the 2019 elections. PDP-Laban members can join HNP Pimentel said he sees no threat with the plan of some members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to join the HNP. "That's consistent. It does not affect us. It does not raise any issue because, as I have stated time and time again, we allow members in a national party to have simultaneous membership in a regional party like Hugpong," the PDP-Laban president said in an interview during the first anniversary celebration of the PDP Cares, the party's humanitarian arm, Wednesday night. Pimentel confirmed that some of their members indeed plan to join HNP, "and they will not lose their party membership." He reminded his partymates, however, that they should be From Davao region to be able to join HNP. The senator also reiterated that they will not be affected by the HNP's growing network, and President Duterte's reported attendance in the oath-taking of the regional party's members in Davao City on Friday. Pimentel said the HNP can also endorse its own senatorial slate for the senatorial elections, although it cannot issue a certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) to candidates for such a national position. The PDP-Laban, for its part, will endorse its own candidates. Pimentel said President Duterte, anyway, had promised to campaign for the party's candidates.