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MANILA, Philippines – Now that Sen Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has bolted the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), he is more than welcome to join the senatorial slate of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), LP spokesperson Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III said.
Tañada said Pimentel is one of the priority candidates of LP. “His name was earlier mentioned as a candidate for the administration. I believe he is one of the priorities for the slate,” he said.
Pimentel bolted UNA on Thursday, June 28, after meeting with former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. He had protested the inclusion of former Sen Juan Miguel Zubiri in the senatorial slate of the UNA coalition. Pimentel believes Zubiri had cheated in the 2007 elections and deprived him of his Senate seat.
The alleged cheating allowed Zubiri to take the 12th and last senatorial slot. The Senate Electoral Tribunal last year ruled that Pimentel was the true winner.
Earlier this year, LP stalwart Budget Secretary Butch Abad told the media they had been talking to Pimentel even when he was part of the UNA slate.
Pimentel will be a “good addition” to the LP slate, said Tañada, who is also planning to run for senator.
Tañada said Pimentel need not bolt his own party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), adding that LP and PDP-Laban are “not strange bedfellows” anyway.
“LP and PDP-Laban have worked together. In 1992, the two parties were in a coalition when then Senator (Jovito) Salonga of LP and Koko’s father, then Sen Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr ran for president and vice president, respectively,” Tañada recalled.
UNA tried to persuade Pimentel to stay, but to no avail. One of UNA’s key leaders, Sen Juan Ponce Enrile said he was still supporting Pimentel. “If he asks for my help as a friend, I will endorse him to voters in my province. You can still endorse other candidates of other parties. There’s no problem with that. If needed, it’s up to the individual,” Enrile said in Filipino. – Rappler.com
Click on the links below for related stories:
- Binay on Koko: ‘Bahala na siya’
- Enrile: I will still endorse Koko if he asks help
- Koko Pimentel leaves UNA
Elsewhere in Rappler:
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