‘No regrets’ supporting Duterte in 2016, Pimentel says amid PDP-Laban disunity

FILE PHOTO: Senator Koko Pimentel (left) and Energy chief Alfonso Cusi. INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Despite being blamed for the infighting in the PDP-Laban, Senator  Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel  III  said he has no regrets supporting  President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 elections.

Duterte ran for president under  PDP-Laban where he is now serving as its chairman.

“Hindi, wala, wala,” Pimentel said when asked over Teleradyo on Monday night if he regrets supporting Duterte’s presidential bid in 2016.

“No regrets at all, no regrets panalo ang PDP-Laban nun. We are proud to have produced a president,” he said.

READ: It’s official: Duterte seals presidential bid, personally files COC

“Dapat ang PDP-Laban will support all of the good programs of the Duterte administration kasi alam n’yo isang barko lang tayo. Let’s be happy na maging successful ‘yung  kapitan natin ng barko nung term na 2016 to 2022. Let’s make sure na successful s’ya dahil tayong lahat ang pasahero dyan,” he added.

(PDP-Laban should support all of the good programs of the Duterte administration because we are on one ship. Let’s be happy that the captain of the ship will become successful during his term from 2016 to 2022. Let’s make sure that  he’s successful because we are all his passengers.)

Pimentel was the party president when it endorsed Duterte’s 2016 presidential bid. The senator only stepped down from his post and through “automatic succession” turned over the presidency to Senator Manny Pacquiao last December.

While saying the party will support Duterte until the end of his term in 2022, Pimentel also said the next presidency is another issue.

“No regret sa decision pero ang nangyayari ngayon ang party is now planning for the 2022  to 2028 term, dapat klaro ‘yun… 2022 to 2028 na ‘yung pinaghahandaan,  so ibang usapan na ‘yun,” Pimentel said.

(There is no regret in our decision but what is happening now is the party is now planning for the 2022  to 2028 term, let’s make that clear. The preparations are for 2022 to 2028, so that’s another issue.)

But during the national assembly of the party last Saturday, Duterte blamed Pimentel for making Pacquiao the party president.

READ: Duterte says Pimentel made a mistake, Pacquiao ‘only a follower’

“Koko was the one who made the mistake, not Pacquiao. Pacquiao does not know anything. He just does what he is told, he doesn’t read,”  the President told party mates over the weekend

“You cannot have an acting president. You have to elect people,”  he added.

Pimentel explained that it was “automatic designation” as he only stepped down as party president  “to give a chance to new blood to lead the party.”

“Akala ko ‘yun ang gusto ni Secretary Cusi nung parati niyang pinupuna ‘yung leadership ko. Akala ko gusto niyang mag-step aside ako so I stepped aside so automatic succession,” he said referring to Energy chief  Alfonso Cusi, who was elected new president of PDP-Laban during Saturday’s general meeting.

(I thought that that was what Secretary Cusi wanted when he was always criticizing my leadership.  I thought he wanted me to step aside so I stepped aside so automatic succession.)

Pimentel said he had no idea Cusi wanted to be the president of PDP-Laban.

“Hindi ko naman dinesignate, siguro disagree lang si Secretary Cusi kasi lumabas, after all their maneuvering, ang lumabas na in-elect nilang new president si Secretary Cusi.”

(I did not designate [Pacquiao], maybe Secretary Cusi just disagreed because it appears, after all their maneuvering, it turned out that they elected Secretary Cusi as new president.)

“So gusto pala niya, hindi naman kasi niya sinasabi na gusto pala niyang maging party president. Wala naman s’yang ganung mga salita sa amin na deretso,” Pimentel added.

(So, it seems he wanted it, he didn’t say he wanted to become party president. He had no such direct declarations to us.)

READ:Duterte widens split in PDP-Laban by swearing in new officers

Cusi was elected new president of PDP-Laban during Sunday’s national assembly, which  Pimentel and Pacquiao called unauthorized and in violation of the ruling political party’s own charter.

KGA