Pimentel tells Villar: Don’t meddle with PDP-Laban’s affairs

MANILA, Philippines— Senator Cynthia Villar should not interfere with the affairs of the ruling PDP-Laban.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, president of PDP-Laban, said this a day after Villar confronted him and another partymate, Senator Manny Pacquiao, over the issue of Senate presidency.

“Wag sya (Villar) makialam sa party namin. Sa party niya sya mag concentrate,” Pimentel said in a text message on Tuesday.

Villar belongs to the Nacionalista Party, which was founded by her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar.

Pimentel issued the remark when sought for comment on Villar’s statement that PDP-Laban should first address the issues of some of its partymates.

But  Villar  said she was not meddling with  PDP-Laban’s affairs

“That’s their problem, I am not interfering,” she said in an interview at the Senate.

During Monday’s session at the Senate, Villar was heard berating Pimentel and Pacquiao when the latter approached her to sign a resolution, expressing support for the continued leadership of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

“Bakit kelangang magpirmahan tayo? Bakit niyo ako sinasali sa away niyo? Bakit kayo ganyan?” Villar said.

[Why do we have to sign this? Why are you getting me involved in your quarrel? Why are you like that?]

“Ayusin niyo ‘yung kapartido niyo. Huwag niyo akong idadamay sa away niyo,” she added.

Villar, who was reportedly being pushed by former Senator-elect Francis Tolentino to challenge Sotto’s leadership, refused to sign the resolution.

Tolentino is part of the PDP-Laban.

READ: Villar refuses to sign resolution on Sotto’s continued Senate presidency