Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday, May 21, announced that he is stepping down from his post as the president of the Liberal Party (LP), holding himself accountable for the defeat of all Otso Diretso senatorial candidates.
“As campaign manager for the Otso Diretso slate, I was unable to ensure our victory in the elections and I therefore assume full responsibility for the outcome and hold myself primarily accountable for this defeat and have tendered my resignation as president of the LP effective June 30, 2019,” he said in a statement.
Pangilinan has tendered his resignation letter to Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, the party’s chairperson.
Apart from the senator, Quezon City 6th District Congressman Kit Belmonte also resigned from his post as LP secretary-general.
Lawyer Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, however, said the Vice President rejected the resignation of the two.
“The VP has not accepted Senator Kiko’s and Cong. Kit’s resignations. Much work remains to be done, and they will do it, together,” he said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has yet to proclaim the winning senatorial candidates and party-list groups in the May 13 midterm polls.
Based on the partial and official tally as of Monday night, May 20, those senatorial candidates who entered the winning circle are Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Christopher “Bong” Go, Pia Cayetano, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., and Nancy Binay.
While some of his fellow Otso Diretso senatorial bets had accepted their defeat, reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, who earlier broke into the “Magic 12” in the poll body’s partial and official tally, has expressed gratitude to his supporters and asked them to “continue praying for me, better yet, please continue praying for and loving our country.”