Pimentel: No leadership struggle in PDP-Laban
Published Aug 11, 2018 04:34 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Disputing statements from the Palace, Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said the meeting of the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) with President Duterte on Thursday did not go in vain, maintaining that the ruling party is not facing a leadership struggle.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a radio interview, Pimentel, PDP-Laban president, denied that Duterte failed in fixing the dispute between warring factions in their party, because for him, there is no problem to settle in the first place.
"Bigo yan sa mata ninyo kasi wala naman talaga kaming problema sa loob. Kaya hindi na dapat ito pinag-aaksayahan ng panahon (It failed in your perception but we actually have no internal problem. So we should not waste our time with that)," Pimentel told DWIZ Saturday afternoon when asked how the meeting went.
"Medyo sa labas lang binebenta na may problema ang PDP-Laban. Wala po, walang-wala kaming problema," he reiterated.
The senator said he not is threatened with the plan of the group led by Atty. Rogelio Garcia to form their own party, if they insist that he should relinquish his post in the PDP-Laban.
"Kung 'di kayo makikinig, na wala kayong karapatan, good riddance, maghiwalayan na lang tayo. Kasi sino ba ang nanggugulo? Saka sino ba sila (If you will not heed, and you have no right, good riddance, let's just split. Because who is creating trouble, anyway? And who are they)?" Pimentel asked, referring to Garcia's group.
Pimentel then hit back at Garcia, who had earlier accused him of being a political butterfly. According to him, it was Garcia who had transferred to several political parties in various elections.
Pimentel proved this by sending to Senate reporters data that show Garcia, during the 2010 national elections, ran as a representative of General Santos City under the Liberal Party (LP); and during 2013 midterm polls, for the same position, under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
In 2016, Willy Talag, who was supposedly elected as the new party secretary-general, meanwhile, ran as a representative of Makati City's first district under the Nationalist People's Coalition, Pimentel also bared.
"If you look at it, how loyal are they to the party? They are running in every election under different parties. While others raise their hands as if they are members of the (PDP-Laban) party. They are hijacking the party," Pimentel said in Filipino.
"I don't know if this is planned, or they are just lucky that they were given media publicity. Maybe they are enjoying media attention," he added.
Sept 1 meet
Pimentel clarified that the PDP-Laban's meeting on September 1 will focus on the party's game plan for the 2019 midterm elections, including the candidates whom President Duterte will campaign for.
"So nagdo-double time na ang headquarters ng PDP-Laban para sa campaign setup, machinery, dapat may feedback sa baba sino mga tatakbo. Dapat ready na, kasi gusto ni President Duterte kung official candidate ng PDP-Laban, kung may oras at pagkakataon, tutulungan nya sa kampanya," he said.
He noted that they are also tightening their screening of candidates to make sure that they are not involved in corruption or illegal drugs.
"So sa September 1, preliminary report kami sa kanya kung sino ang napupusuan kasama na rin ang mga possible senatorial candidates," he said.
Pimentel, meanwhile, reiterated that Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez remains as the PDP-Laban's secretary-general, while House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still a member of the administration party.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a radio interview, Pimentel, PDP-Laban president, denied that Duterte failed in fixing the dispute between warring factions in their party, because for him, there is no problem to settle in the first place.
"Bigo yan sa mata ninyo kasi wala naman talaga kaming problema sa loob. Kaya hindi na dapat ito pinag-aaksayahan ng panahon (It failed in your perception but we actually have no internal problem. So we should not waste our time with that)," Pimentel told DWIZ Saturday afternoon when asked how the meeting went.
"Medyo sa labas lang binebenta na may problema ang PDP-Laban. Wala po, walang-wala kaming problema," he reiterated.
The senator said he not is threatened with the plan of the group led by Atty. Rogelio Garcia to form their own party, if they insist that he should relinquish his post in the PDP-Laban.
"Kung 'di kayo makikinig, na wala kayong karapatan, good riddance, maghiwalayan na lang tayo. Kasi sino ba ang nanggugulo? Saka sino ba sila (If you will not heed, and you have no right, good riddance, let's just split. Because who is creating trouble, anyway? And who are they)?" Pimentel asked, referring to Garcia's group.
Pimentel then hit back at Garcia, who had earlier accused him of being a political butterfly. According to him, it was Garcia who had transferred to several political parties in various elections.
Pimentel proved this by sending to Senate reporters data that show Garcia, during the 2010 national elections, ran as a representative of General Santos City under the Liberal Party (LP); and during 2013 midterm polls, for the same position, under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
In 2016, Willy Talag, who was supposedly elected as the new party secretary-general, meanwhile, ran as a representative of Makati City's first district under the Nationalist People's Coalition, Pimentel also bared.
"If you look at it, how loyal are they to the party? They are running in every election under different parties. While others raise their hands as if they are members of the (PDP-Laban) party. They are hijacking the party," Pimentel said in Filipino.
"I don't know if this is planned, or they are just lucky that they were given media publicity. Maybe they are enjoying media attention," he added.
Sept 1 meet
Pimentel clarified that the PDP-Laban's meeting on September 1 will focus on the party's game plan for the 2019 midterm elections, including the candidates whom President Duterte will campaign for.
"So nagdo-double time na ang headquarters ng PDP-Laban para sa campaign setup, machinery, dapat may feedback sa baba sino mga tatakbo. Dapat ready na, kasi gusto ni President Duterte kung official candidate ng PDP-Laban, kung may oras at pagkakataon, tutulungan nya sa kampanya," he said.
He noted that they are also tightening their screening of candidates to make sure that they are not involved in corruption or illegal drugs.
"So sa September 1, preliminary report kami sa kanya kung sino ang napupusuan kasama na rin ang mga possible senatorial candidates," he said.
Pimentel, meanwhile, reiterated that Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez remains as the PDP-Laban's secretary-general, while House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is still a member of the administration party.