Pimentel to fight for senate re-electionists in 2019 Senatorial slate

FILE: Senate President Aquilino “Kiko” Pimentel III (Photo: Senate President Kiko Pimentel/Facebook)

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) Chair and Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III assured his co-senators in the majority bloc that he will fight for them to be included in the ruling party’s 2019 Senatorial slate.

“Syempre hindi nila alam ‘yung nangyayari behind closed doors. Nilalaban ko ‘yan except na nandito pa kami sa stage na kapartido muna naming ine-entertain namin, kaya kung mapapansin niyo hindi pa talaga namin binubuo. Nothing is final pa naman (Of course they do not really know what is happening behind closed doors. I am fighting for their inclusion except that we are still in the stage that we are are entertaining the members of our party, that is why you must notice that the list is not complete yet. Nothing is final yet),” Pimentel said in an interview with DZBB on March 25.

This vow came after a fellow senator JV Ejercito reacted to the Senatorial slate of House of the Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Alvarez’s list included Pimentel, Maguindanao Representative Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu, Davao Representative Karlo Nograles, Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino, and Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali as possible senators for 2019.

He also listed Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr., and special assistant to the President Bong Go.

“Dun po ‘yung sama ng loob ng mga re-electionist senators na naging supportive naman kami bakit parang ayaw kami isama sa administration coalition kung sakali (That is what the re-electionist senators resent, when we were supportive of the administration but it seems that we are not included in the administration coalition if ever),” Ejercito said in a press conference on March 22.

Meanwhile, Pimentel defended that he is fighting for the re-electionist senators as they showed support to President Rodrigo Duterte’s free tuition, free irrigation, tax reform, and Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“Umaandar naman lahat [ng proyekto na] ito. Na-achieve dahil sa support [nila]. Kailangan meron din silang priority seat sa aming slate. Kailangan lang konsulta lang muna sa partido (All of these projects are running, which were all achieved through their support. They really need to be given a priority seat in our slate. A consultation from our party is just needed first),” Pimentel added.

Members of the Senate majority bloc are Senators Ejercito, Sonny Angara, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Cynthia Villar.

Aquino is the only member of the opposition in the block as the rest are allies of Duterte.

In addition, the Senator has a different plan from his co-senators in the majority bloc.

“In 2019, hindi lang ‘The Force‘ kailangan (is not the only thing we need), we need ‘The Resistance’ – a genuine opposition slate. Kailangan ng mga taong magsasama-sama, magtutulong-tulong para labanan ang polisiya ng administrasyon na nakakasakit sa tao (We need people who will unite and will join hands to contest the policies of the administration that are hurtful to people). You will find me on that slate,” the Senator said in a television interview.

He also said that this move is for the sake of democracy.

“You need a slate that’s independent from PDP-Laban, that’s willing to oppose, willing to stand up even if it’s unpopular, and even when it’s dangerous,” Aquino added.