Rody unfazed by exodus of PDP Laban members

Duterte thanked Senator Imee Marcos for standing behind him and treating him as a true friend amid the exodus of PDP Laban members

Former President Rodrigo Duterte swore he would continue to stand up for the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, or PDP Laban, party amid the transfer of its members to other parties.

In his Wednesday’s television program over the SMNI News Channel, Duterte said he was not bothered by the members slowly leaving PDP Laban because that was part of democracy.

The former president understood that the PDP Laban members chose to leave the party lest Congress deny them funds for their projects.

“I understand. We had many members before, especially when I became president, we were about 320 back then, and everyone transferred to PDP. We had a few members before, me and Senator Koko Pimentel. They transferred to PDP Laban when I was elected president, but now that I am not in the position, they walked out of the party,” he said.

Duterte said this was understandable since the speaker of the House is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s cousin.

Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Ty Pimentel, PDP Laban’s deputy secretary for Mindanao, earlier announced that from 65 party members at the beginning of the 19th Congress, PDP Laban is left with 15 members in the lower chamber.

Meanwhile, Duterte thanked Senator Imee Marcos for standing behind him and treating him as a true friend amid the exodus of PDP Laban members.

“When this issue flared up, she said, ‘I stand with Duterte,’” the former president said. “I appreciate Imee.”

Duterte said he would rather run PDP Laban alone and let ordinary and principled Filipinos run for public office.

“Even if I’m left all alone, I will still stand,” he said in Filipino.