Pimentel-led PDP faction hits Duterte wing’s call to join Edsa rally
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. (Photo from FAITH ARGOSINO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction led by Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Monday blasted former President Rodrigo Duterte’s wing for urging the public to join the Edsa Shrine rally against the administration.
The Duterte wing said the public should “express [their] opinion on the oppression and outright politicization of the Marcos administration.”
The call was made amid the feud between President Ferdinand Marco Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president.
READ: Bongbong Marcos to Sara Duterte: Point of no return? Never say never
According to the Pimentel faction, the Duterte wing’s “call for public disturbance and their misuse of the party name for selfish political motives is a betrayal of the principles upon which the PDP-Laban was founded, principles centered on justice, peace, and the rule of law.”
Article continues after this advertisement“We emphasize that the PDP Laban stands firmly behind the Constitution, the rule of law, and the democratically elected government. The Philippines has faced enough challenges, and the last thing our nation needs is division and destabilization at the hands of those who prioritize personal agendas over the welfare of the Filipino people,” they added.
Article continues after this advertisementThe PDP faction led by Pimentel, who deemed themselves as the “original members” of the party, also called on the public to discern truth from manipulation and to “avoid being swayed by those who exploit our nation’s political landscape for their gain.”
“The actions of this rogue faction are neither representative of PDP Laban’s ideals nor the aspirations of its founding members and loyal supporters,” they added.
READ: From PDP-Laban to PDP: Koko laments party changes
In 2022, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) recognized the faction led by then Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Duterte as the “true and official members” of the PDP-Laban.
Pimentel’s group contested the decision by filing a motion for reconsideration, but the Comelec also junked it in 2023.
READ: Comelec en banc upholds decision declaring Cusi wing as ‘true’ PDP-Laban
