Negros leader quits PDP after Duterte’s absence at sortie

BACOLOD CITY — The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan has accepted the resignation of its leader in the Negros Island region after presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte failed to attend a campaign sortie in this city last week, PDP- Laban president Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said yesterday.

Pimentel said the party would write lawyer Jesus Hinlo to thank him for his services.

Hinlo said he was disappointed when Duterte failed to attend his sortie in Barangay Tangub on Feb. 17, where about 5,000 leaders and sup- porters from Negros Occidental waited for him.

“The Duterte team denied the thousands of people the opportunity to be with their beloved presidential candidate,” Hinlo said in a text message to local journalists.

“My conscience tells me that Duterte would have visited Barangay Tangub if he only knew that his people from the masses, middle class, and some relatives were actually waiting for him.”

As a leader, Hinlo said the honorable thing for him to do is to resign as member and president of PDP-Laban in NIR.

He said his resignation, effective Feb. 18, shows his sympathy and solidarity to the masses, middle class, and leaders who waited in Barangay Tangub.

He thanked all Duterte leaders and volunteers from the region who waited at the village gym for three hours.

On Feb. 17, Duterte attended a sortie at the SMX Convention Center, where he spoke for about an hour and a half in front of at least 2,000 supporters.

The Tangub event was supposed to be his next stop. Instead, Duterte proceeded to the Vallacar Transit compound, operator of Ceres buses, to meet with transport sector leaders.

Rivals won’t campaign in Davao

Presidential aspirants are reportedly not keen on campaigning in Davao City, knowing it is a Duterte turf.

The city, considered to be the largest in the world in terms of land area, has at least 900,000 registered voters according to the Commission on Elections.

Leaders of major political parties usually come to the city, hoping to win the mayor’s endorsement.

This time appeared to be different as Duterte himself is running for president.

A city mayor for more than 24 years and once a vice mayor and a congressional representative, Duterte was never defeated in his political forays.

A staff of one of the presidential candidates expressed doubt if they could ever get a vote from city residents.

Christopher Go, Duterte’s close aide and campaign sortie manager, said the city is open for other parties to campaign.

“The question is, will people come and attend their events?” he said.

Go said in previous elections, they received calls from national candidates seeking Duterte’s support and endorsement.

Sources said local political coordinators of Duterte’s rivals are having a hard time gathering people for the political rallies.