Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO / CATHY MIRANDA
Appearing unperturbed, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday congratulated Hugpong ng Pagbabago of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on its new alliances, suggesting that it was of no consequence to the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“Congrats to them all. No implication on us,” said Pimentel, president of the administration party, which has been wracked by an internal feud between two factions.
On Monday, the regional party formed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, entered into a coalition with three national political parties (Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition and National Unity Party) and six regional parties.
The deal was sealed in preparation for the midterm elections in 2019.
Pimentel dismissed suggestions that Hugpong was growing into a legitimate threat to PDP-Laban as the dominant party in the administration.
“HNP is a new entity hence it is still expanding its network,” he said.
“During the speakership of [Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon] Alvarez, PDP also signed agreements with all known [political] parties and organizations at that time,” he told reporters in a text message.