SENATE minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III yesterday hit the party led by former President Duterte for dropping the word “Laban” from its original name — Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
PDP-Laban was a merger of two political parties founded by late Senators Benigno Aquino Jr. (Laban) and Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel (PDP), the minority leader’s late father, in 1983.
Pimentel said Duterte’s group should have formed their own political party instead of “kill” the PDP-Laban’s ideology.
“They made many changes both formal and substantive — from the party name, the constitution, the oath taking, the handshake, etc. If they wanted to change the basic character of PDP-Laban, then why didn’t they just form their own political party from the very start? Why forcibly take over a ‘left of center’ political party and then bring it all the way to the right?” Pimentel said.
The party decided to drop “Laban” last Friday during its national council meeting and anniversary celebration in Cebu City.
Duterte rejoined PDP-Laban in 2015 in preparation for his presidential candidacy in the 2016 elections. He said he ran under a different party in 2013 so he could join a coalition in Davao City.
A dispute erupted in the PDP-Laban in 2021 when then senator Emmanuel Pacquiao criticized Duterte regarding the latter’s handling of issues related to the West Philippine Sea, alleged corruption in government, government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the endorsement of candidates for the 2022 presidential elections. leading to the party’s split.
In May 2022, the Commission on Elections declared the Duterte faction as the true and official PDP-Laban party.
