Kiko Pangilinan quits as LP president

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines–Opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan is stepping down as president of the once-dominant Liberal Party (LP), the party announced on Tuesday.

Pangilinan said he would vacate his position in the party on June 30.

“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,” Pangilinan said in a news release.

Pangilinan served as the campaign manager of Otso Diretso, whose eight candidates, including former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and reelectionist Sen. Bam Aquino, were shut out of the so-called Magic 12 in the senatorial race.

READ: What went wrong with Otso Diretso?

Pangilinan has handed his letter of resignation to Party chairperson Vice President Leni Robredo.

Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, an LP member, said Pangilinan and Quezon City 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte’s resignation as LP secretary general, were acts of “courtesy” on the aftermath of the election.

READ: LP sees same ‘tyranny of majority’ in next Congress

Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, later said the Vice President turned down the resignation of the two.

READ: Robredo rejects resignation of key LP officials

The Commission on Elections has yet to proclaim the winning senators pending the arrival of certificates of canvass  from Saudi Arabia and Washington D.C. in the United States, and in view of questions of possible irregularities in light of the seven-hour glitch after the polls, the breakdown of hundreds of vote counting machines, and the identification of over a thousand defective SD cards.

READ: Proclamation of senatorial, party-list winners still tentative on Tuesday

Reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar continues to lead the Senate race based on Comelec’s partial and official tally on Tuesday morning. Eight of the 12 contenders in the winning circle are allies of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration while no Otso Diretso bet is poised to crack the coveted seats.

Aquino ranked 14th in the latest Comelec tally, over 300,000 votes short of grabbing Sen. Nancy Binay’s 12th spot. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)

READ: Villar still leading Senate race; Binay tightens grip on 12th spot