Pimentel says ‘no regrets’ in backing ex-President Duterte in 2016
FILE PHOTO Former President Rodrigo Duterte endorses the reelection of Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III in 2019 mid-term elections.
MANILA, Philippines — Does Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III regret supporting former President Rodrigo Duterte?
Not at all, said Pimentel in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Friday, saying such was the nature of politics.
Pimentel and Duterte were partymates and allies under the once ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which was founded by the senator’s father in the 80s. Pimentel even served as Senate President under Duterte’s term from 2016 to 2018.
The leadup to the 2022 national elections, however, exposed a rift within the party which created two factions—one led by Pimentel, and another led by former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. Duterte backed the Cusi wing.
But Pimentel is taking everything in stride.
“In politics, no regrets. We have to live with the cards that we are dealt with. We have to live with the consequences of our decisions,” he said when asked if he regretted supporting Duterte.
“Nakatulong din naman. May mga pluses and minuses talaga. May pros and cons… In the political world, ganun din po. Mayroon ding mga pluses and minuses,” he added.
(It helped us. There are pluses and minuses. There are pros and cons. In the political world, it’s the same case. There are pluses and minuses.)
Further, Pimentel said he is ready and prepared “to live with the consequences of our decisions.”
“Hanggang ngayon, we will just have to live kung anuman ang ating mga political decisions, be ready, be prepared to live with the consequences of our decisions,” the new Senate Minority leader said.
In May, a few days before the 2022 elections, a division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the Cusi faction as the “true and official” members of PDP-Laban.
READ: Comelec: Cusi wing ‘true’ PDP-Laban
This decision, in turn, declared Pimentel’s group as illegitimate, which the senator rejected.
“Those of us who have known only one political party, the PDP-Laban, and have been with PDP-Laban for 40 long years will now be separated from our party because of Secretary Cusi who joined the party five years ago and his group of people who are outsiders and strangers to the party?” Pimentel said back in May.
Also during the ANC interview on Friday, Pimentel said the decision of the Comelec division is still under appeal.
“I will fight this all the way,” Pimentel said.
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