Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senate Minority Leader Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III said on Monday that former President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies should have just formed their own party instead of drastically changing the once-ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
鈥淭hey made many changes, both formal and substantive鈥攆rom the party name, the constitution, the oath-taking, the handshake [and others],鈥� Pimentel told reporters.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just sad that we had to fight over the party only for them to replace its name and symbolisms. We could have parted ways as friends and have a peaceful separation,鈥� he said.
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According to him, by removing Laban from the party鈥檚 original name, the Duterte-led faction practically wanted to erase its identity as a 鈥渓eft-of-center鈥� organization.
The party was a coalition between the Lakas ng Bayan (Laban) founded by former Sen. Benigno 鈥淣inoy鈥� Aquino Jr. in 1978, and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), founded in 1982 by Pimentel鈥檚 father, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
The two parties merged in February 1983 with PDP-Laban becoming the main opposition group. It also served as a pillar of the coalition that propelled Aquino鈥檚 wife, Corazon Aquino, to the presidency in 1986, and ended the dictatorial regime of then President Ferdinand Marcos.
Left of center to right
鈥淚f they had wanted to change the basic character of PDP-Laban, then why didn鈥檛 they just form their own political party? Why forcibly take over a 鈥榣eft of center鈥� political party and then bring it all the way to the 鈥榬ight?鈥欌�� the senator lamented.
The modifications in the party鈥檚 name and membership processes were announced during the PDP鈥檚 42nd anniversary celebration held in Cebu City on April 20.
For the 2016 presidential elections, PDP-Laban chose Duterte, then Davao City mayor, as its standard-bearer as well as party chair. It became the dominant party in the country after Duterte won the presidency.
But in the run-up to the 2022 presidential race, PDP-Laban was divided into two factions鈥攐ne led by Pimentel and its then party president, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, while the other was headed by Duterte and then Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Pimentel鈥檚 group had fielded Pacquiao as its standard-bearer while the Duterte-Cusi faction endorsed the candidacy of then former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Pimentel had objected to this, as his father had originally formed the party to oppose Marcos鈥� father.
The Commission on Elections eventually issued a ruling in May 2022 recognizing the Duterte-Cusi group as the 鈥渢rue and official鈥� members of PDP-Laban.
No regrets
Despite the development, Pimentel was optimistic that their party would still be able to carry out its mission to push for major political reforms, including its advocacy for a federal system of government.
鈥淧olitical parties are formed to embody ideas,鈥� he stressed, adding: 鈥淭hey cannot kill ideas. Hence, the PDP-Laban鈥檚 ideology will continue to live on in its original members as well as in the new converts.鈥�
When asked if he regretted supporting Duterte as PDP-Laban鈥檚 presidential candidate in 2016, Pimentel said they actually 鈥渄ealt with each other in good faith.鈥�
鈥淚 saw his sincerity and of all those involved in [Duterte鈥檚 presidential campaign] in 2016. So no regrets. I understand that people鈥檚 way of thinking changes,鈥� he said. 鈥擶ITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH