Sen. Pimentel airs concern over Mayor Teodoro’s transfer to District 1

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III files his COC as the representative of Marikina’s first district —Photo by Faith Argosino/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — “It’s not only a legal issue; it’s a constitutional issue.”

These were the words used by Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel when he raised on Tuesday his concern over Marikina Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro’s recent transfer from District 2 to District 1 to run for Congress in the upcoming 2025 elections.

In an interview on ANC’s Headstart, Pimentel pointed out that the period of residence requirement is well indicated in the Philippine Constitution.

READ: Marikina’s Teodoro says Pimentel camp left alliance late July

“It’s not only a legal issue; it’s a constitutional issue because the period of residence requirement is in the constitution,” Pimentel said.

Teodoro is Pimentel’s opponent in the race for the congressional seat of the city’s first district.

‘We were ghosted’

Apart from raising the constitutionality of Teodoro’s decision, Pimentel likewise debunked Teodoro’s claims that it was their camp that abandoned their alliance, explaining that Teodoro himself had instructed his supporters to distance themselves from the Pimentel camp.

“We have not spoken. That’s the problem. We were ghosted,” Pimentel said.

“Imagine Kat, my wife, going to the designated venue for a meeting, and when she’s there, she will be called saying the meeting is canceled. At any rate, it’s been that exasperating,” Pimentel added.

But according to Pimentel, it was not the first time that an incident of ghosting between Teodoro and his supposed allies had transpired.

“I’ve also complained to some local politicians in Marikina, and they’re saying, you’re not the only one who’s been ghosted. Those meetings that were cancelled without any kind of notice. That is their style, apparently. Those people who trusted them, promises that were not fulfilled. They say we’re not the first to experience such. We’re fed up with all of these. Maybe the local politicians have run out, so they extended it to a national politician,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel believes Teodoro’s decision to return to District 1 is for his political survival.

“Maybe he conducted a survey, and his numbers were not good against the Quimbos. Out of desperation, out of the desire to remain politically relevant, maybe he thought, ‘I’ll go back to District 1 where I am the kingpin,’” Pimentel said.

Concluding his remarks, Pimentel said the short-lived alliance with the Teodoros was too good to be true, to begin with.