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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Pimentel on PDP dropping 'Laban' in its name: 'Why not form their own political party?'

Pimentel on PDP dropping 'Laban' in its name: 'Why not form their own political party?'

Published Apr 22, 2024 07:39 am

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said on Monday, April 22 he was saddened by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino's (PDP) decision to drop Lakas ng Bayan (Laban) as part of its name during its national council meeting last April 19.

"Nakakalungkot na pinag-awayan pa namin iyong partido tapos ganon lang pala yung kanilang plano na palitan ang pangalan, palitan ang symbolisms, pati iyong pago-oath ng kaliwang kamay, gagawin na nilang kanang kamay, even iyong party handshake namin using the left hand I'm sure papalitan na rin nila iyon (It's disheartening to know that we argued about the party for them to just change its name, its symbolisms, even the way we do the oath taking using the left hand, they changed it to the right, event he party handshake using the left hand, I'm sure they'll change it)," he said in an interview on Monday, April 22.

"So, ang akin lang pakiramdam e kung gusto rin naman pala nila ng ibang partido, kasi binago nila lahat e, ba’t hindi na lang sila nagbuo ng sarili nilang partido, hindi naman bawal iyon? Wala pang masasaktan, wala pang aangal (For me, what I felt was if they wanted a different political party since they changed everything, why didn't they form their own, it's not prohibited? No one will get hurt, no one will complain)," he added.

The political party was founded by Pimentel's father, the late Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr.

According to the senator, the rich history of PDP-Laban is being put to waste which is why they will fight for it, as the "legitimate" and "original" members who are the true believers of the ideology of PDP-Laban and even bring it to the Supreme Court (SC).

"Sayang eh, I mean gusto naming ituloy ang causa ng PDP-Laban, yung kabila ayaw nilang ituloy, gusto nilang baguhin. Magbuo na lang kayo ng sarili niyong partido hindi naman bawal iyon e (It's a waste, I mean we want to push through with PDP-Laban's purpose, the other side does not want to, they want to change it. Just form your own political party, it's not prohibited)," he said.

Asked had he known, if he would still choose former president Rodrigo Duterte to be the party's standard bearer, he said: "Way back in 2016, we dealt with each other in good faith, nakita ko naman iyong sincerity ng (I saw the sincerity in) all those involved in 2016. So no regrets. Nagbabago lang talaga ang thinking ng tao ang malungot kasi dito, pwede namang nagkaroon kami ng parting as friends eh (It's just that the way people think change and what's sad here is that we could have parted as friends)."


Duterte is the party's chairman.


"Pwede naman kaming magkaroon ng parang peaceful separation. Ang nagyari nag-agawan pa ng partido iyon pala papalitan din nila ang essence ng partido (We could have had a peaceful separation. What happened was we fought over the party for them to eventually change the essence of it)," he added.

Pimentel emphasized that political parties are composed of like-minded individuals for a single cause.

"Causa is an idea. You can never kill an idea. So kahit baguhin pa naman iyong pangalan ng partido nila, iyong tunay na PDP-Laban iyong mga original at yung tunay naniniwala ay tuloy-tuloy pa rin po kaming magsasama-sama, at tuloy-tuloy pa rin kami sa pag-advocate sa pagpapaliwanag ng pinaniniwalaan ng PDP-Laban (Even if they change the name of the party, the real PDP-Laban composed of the original and those who truly believe will continue to be together, will continue advocate and explain the beliefs of PDP-Laban)," he added.

Related Tags

FORMER PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III PDP-Laban
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