Surigao solon: PDP-Laban must retake House panel headship from Robes

MANILA, Philippines — Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) should take back the committee chairmanship given to San Jose del Monte Rep. Florida Robes, who supposedly deserted the party and jumped ship to the National Unity Party (NUP), Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel has said.

In an interview after she took her oath as NUP member on Tuesday, Robes confirmed getting the House committee on people’s participation while she was a PDP-Laban member.

“‘Yung kay Rida Robes, to tell you frankly, we worked hard for her to get a chairmanship but unfortunately, after she got the chairmanship she transferred to NUP which is in bad faith because the people’s participation committee is an allocation of PDP-Laban,” Pimentel said in an interview during the ruling party’s thanksgiving party Wednesday night.

“Eh dapat naman talagang bawiin namin ‘yung allocation na ‘yun,” he added.

Not in bad faith

But Robes denied that her change of party was done in bad faith. She said she would talk to both parties to clarify the matter.

“No, it was not (done in bad faith). I asked NUP, they said they were the ones who lobbied for it (committee chairmanship). I don’t know their play. PDP(-Laban) said sila naman ang nag-ayos,” the congresswoman said.

Some 14 sitting PDP-Laban congressmen jumped ship to NUP, according to a list given by NUP Secretary-General for political affairs Brian Yamsuan. But Pimentel said only 12 transferred to NUP.

Following this, PDP-Laban has asked its members to confirm their membership in the ruling political party.

PDP-Laban president, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, confirmed this but downplayed it as just a periodic updating of party membership.

“Updating of party membership is done periodically. Coz we all know the ‘level of party politics here in our country’,” the senator told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

READ: PDP-Laban presses members to confirm affiliation as some solons join NUP

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