Moreno on anti-Pimentel PDP faction: Power-hungry

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

MAYOR Oscar Moreno over the weekend lashed out at moves to oust Sen. Aquilino Martin Pimentel III as president of the administration PDP-Laban, calling those behind it as “power hungry.”

“I’m sure Sen. Koko Pimentel will handle himself  with decorum that we can be proud of. Dili man kana siya la-og sa gahum, pero kinsa man sad kanang gasaba-saba diha?” said Moreno.

Moreno and most members of the city council were sworn in as members of the PDP-Laban this year. Before the “jump,” the mayor served as a leader of the Liberal Party, the political party in power during the Aquino administration.

Sen. Pimentel merely laughed off what he called as an unauthorized “national assembly” organized by a faction of the PDP-Laban in Quezon City late last week.

The faction sought to oust Pimentel as the party’s president and former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez as it secretary general. The party’s chairman is President Duterte.

Pimentel told the Gold Star Daily the “unauthorized” assembly had no effect even as he called those behind it as “jokers.”

He said the organizers were composed of disgruntled PDP-Laban members, expelled members and non-members of the party.

“Some are true members, some expelled, some not even members. Naghalo-halo ang mga  joker,” Pimentel said.

PDP-Laban’s founder and Pimentel’s father Aquilino Jr. said seeking to oust party leaders is a “privilege” party members have but he added that there are rules to follow and must be based on the party’s principles.

The elder Pimentel, who once served as senator, said he was leaving matters in the hands of PDP-Laban members.

“Incidentally, dili na ako galabot-labot sa  kalihukan sa PDP. Unsay ilang gusto buhaton, it’s up to them,  but they should do it in accordance with party rules,” he said.