Koko’s UNA slot up for grabs

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) is not adopting Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III in its senatorial ticket in the May 2013 elections even if he is open to adoption by any political group.

Former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, meanwhile, expressed sadness over Pimentel’s decision to bolt the alliance, saying he “truly wanted us to mend our differences for the sake of more representation for the region.”

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, UNA secretarygeneral, said yesterday that Pimentel’s place in

the ticket would be up for grabs by other senatorial aspirants belonging to the two parties making up the alliance.

“We respect Senator Koko’s decision and we wish him luck in all his endeavors. We must, however, move on and I’m sure that for other aspirants, this additional vacancy for the senatorial lineup in the UNA slate is a welcome development,” he said.

Earlier, Tiangco said UNA is considering candidates belonging only to the PDP-Laban and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), the two parties comprising the alliance.

Vice President Jejomar Binay formed the coalition in preparation for next year’s combined congressional-local elections and for his presidential candidacy in 2016.

Binay chairs PDP-Laban, while Pimentel is its president. Pimentel’s father, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., founded PDP-Laban.

Former President Joseph Estrada, on the other hand, is the founder and leader of PMP.

On Thursday, Pimentel announced he was leaving UNA after meeting with Estrada.

He made the decision after failing to convince the UNA leadership to drop Zubiri from its senatorial ticket. Zubiri is one of PMP’s nominees.

Zubiri resigned from the Senate four years after evidence of cheating in the 2007 elections started to unravel, with allies of then President Arroyo admitting that they were told to work for a 12-0 victory for the administration ticket, which included the former Bukidnon congressman.

Zubiri, who was out of the country celebrating his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, claimed that he might have been an unwitting beneficiary of election fraud but not a cheating participant.

“I don’t believe our differences were irreconcilable as I share Koko’s fight against electoral fraud. Remember that we are both victims here, as he was not able to start his term and that I was not able to finish mine,” he said, adding that he only wants to seek a fresh mandate.

He said it saddens him that Senator Pimentel had agreed during a reconciliation meeting in one of the major TV stations that they help each other for the sake of Mindanao but now is singing a different tune.

“We agreed to support each other to finally unite the people from a particularly divisive electoral exercise. This was all played live on national TV and I sincerely believed it and had hoped it prospered for the sake of Unity,” he said.

But Pimentel said he could not run in the same ticket as Zubiri and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay, whom he described as Arroyo allies. Magsaysay has been drafted in the UNA ticket.

He said he would remain PDPLaban president even if he were no longer one of UNA’s senatorial candidates.

“I would try to find out if there would be a problem with that situation,” he said.

Contrasting opinion

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said Pimentel’s move was a “good decision” because “it is a sign of protest against cheats.”

Former Lingayen- Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that his action showed that he was his father’s son.

Cruz said he respects Koko’s decision, but believes that it was a difficult decision because he might lose votes. “If he would stay with UNA, he would have all the votes, money, and party stature... But when he left, it says a lot of things about him.”

But a source from the PDP-Laban said money is behind Pimentel’s decision and not principle, contrary to what he was trying to project.

The source said the younger Pimentel was merely using his dislike for Zubiri as a convenient excuse to bolt the party and join the administration’s Liberal Party, which can give him more funds.

“It is a repeat of the 2010 (elections) when his sister Gwen ran under the Nacionalista Party (NP) despite the coalition between PMP and PDP- Laban to form UNO (United Opposition), which fielded Erap and Binay. It’s money disguise as principle,” the source said.

“Pimentel will ask UNA to withdraw his name from the lineup and will be willing to be adopted by LP. That was his decision even before he announced his two-week consultations with PDP memberters,

ship,” the source said.

Admirable principle

UNA’s leadership said they are respecting Pimentel’s decision to bolt from the coalition.

In a statement, former Senate president Ernesto Maceda said Pimentel’s adherence to principle is admirable.

He said that the decision of how the alliance will now move forward in spite of this new development will be up to Vice President Binay.

Standing on shaky ground

Meanwhile, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said UNA could already be facing possible extinction after Pimentel left the alliance.

“If Pimentel decides to run under PDP-Laban and this political party still nominates him as one of its senatorial candidates, then there is the danger of an early dissolution of the UNA because of an apparent difference in principles of the two merging political parties,” Macalintal noted.

Macalintal said the issue now is whether Pimentel’s departure would also mean his resignation as a member and president of PDP-Laban, which will be automatic in the event that he accepts the LP nomination.

Although Binay is chairman of the PDP-Laban, Macalintal said, the party decides based on consultation among party members.

Macalintal said there is still a need for consultation on the party’s decision on Pimentel’s political future.

But he said Pimentel’s decision to bolt the coalition of PDP-Laban and Estrada’s PMP would work to his advantage.

“Although it took him a long time to decide, it is a principled political stand and a demonstration of his political maturity,” Macalintal pointed out.

He said Pimentel could not be blamed if he feels uneasy campaigning alongside Zubiri whom he accused of having deprived him of his full term as senator in the 2007 elections.

“If they campaign separately under UNA, as suggested by UNA officers, the more the electorate will remember their political enmity which will not augur well for UNA and its allies and supporters,” Macalintal explained. – With Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin