Senators allied with Duterte assured of inclusion in PDP-Laban slate

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Sunday assured re-electionist senators who are allied with the Duterte administration that they will be included in the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban’s (PDP-Laban) senatorial slate for the May 2019 midterm elections.

Pimentel, in a Radio DZBB interview, rejected Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito’s complaint that senators who have been supportive of the government’s programs have been left out of the ruling party’s senatorial line-up.

Pimentel, who is also the PDPLaban president, said he is actually “fighting for their inclusion” in the party’s lineup.

“Syempre hindi nila alam yung nangyayari behind closed doors (Of course, they do not know what is happening behind closed doors),” Pimentel said.

“Nilalaban ko ‘yan except na nandito pa kami sa stage na kapartido muna namin ine-entertain namin kaya kung mapapansin n’yo hindi pa talaga namin binubuo, (I’m fighting for them except that we are this stage where we entertain first our partymates that’s why if you notice, we haven’t come up with a full slate),” the Senate leader explained.

“Nothing is final. Pag na-finalize na natin ang senatorial slate ng partido, kokonsultahin natin si Presidente (once we are able to finalize the party’s senatorial slate, then we will consult the President),” he added.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the party’s secretary general, earlier bared his lineup of possible senatorial candidates for the 2019 elections. His list included Pimentel, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, Davao Rep. Karlo Nograles, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, and Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go.

Alvarez later added Communications Assistance Secretary Mocha Uson and Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez to the PDP-Laban’s line-up.

Without mentioning Uson and Benitez in his own list, Pimentel said he is considering adding Ejercito, Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe and former senator, now Taguig-Pateros Pia Cayetano.

Ejercito earlier said the PDPLaban party leaders seemed hesitant to include them due to their negative stance on federalism which the party considers a prerequisite for aspiring candidates wanting to be part or get the endorsement of the party.