KOKO PIMENTEL AT THE CROSSROADS / ERAP TO PIMENTEL: GIVE AND
FORGIVE
MANILA, JUNE 15, 2012 (MALAYA) SEN. Aquilino
"Koko" Pimentel III yesterday ruled out joining the ruling Liberal Party for the
2013 senatorial polls.
Pimentel, who has been at odds with the leaders of United Nationalist
Alliance (UNA) over the endorsement of former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri in its
senatorial slate, also said he has no intention of leaving PDP-Laban.
However, Pimentel said in a television interview he is open to forging new
alliances with any organized group or party.
Pimentel is PDP-Laban president with Vice President Jejomar Binay as its
chairman.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad has said LP is willing to have Pimentel in
its fold. Abad, LP president, however, said Pimentel must first iron out his
problems with UNA. He said he did not want to be accused of interfering in the
UNA intramurals.
[PHOTO -MIGZ ZUBIRI; PERSONAL APPEAL. Juan Miguel Zubiri appeals to
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III to stop the personal attacks against him following
his membership in the United Nationalist Alliance and his inclusion in its
senatorial slate in the 2013 elections.]
Pimentel Won't join LP, won't leave PDP; Migz Zubiri appeals for civility.
Pimentel has repeatedly said he could not in conscience campaign with Zubiri
whom he called "election cheater."
UNA, a coalition of PDP-Laban and former President Joseph Estrada's Pwersa ng
Masang Pilipino (PMP), wants both Zubiri and Pimentel to run for senator in next
year's midterm polls.
UNA's leadership on Monday decided to formally endorse Zubiri in its
senatorial slate for the 2013 midterm elections. They said it is now up to
Pimentel to recognize the covenant of unity signed by both parties under the
coalition.
Pimentel maintained that his objection to running under the same slate with
Zubiri is "based on principle."
"Nakikita ko na 'yung kampanya sa 2013. Ikukwento ko 'yung mga nangyari sa
akin. Ano mangyayari sa amin?" Pimentel said.
He said that he will consult his colleagues in PDP-Laban and his supporters
on his next move.
However, Pimentel said he is still open to ideas or solution to his dilemma.
And Zubiri has this for Pimentel: "Sana tanggapin mo sa iyong puso itong
gesture of support for you. Sana ay magkaisa na lang tayo. Sana ay magkasama pa
rin po kami."
But the former senator from Bukidnon appealed to Pimentel to stop calling him
an election cheat.
"I am very saddened by the fact that he is calling me different names, he is
insulting me on national TV," Zubiri said.
He said that even Pimentel's lawyer in his election protest filed before the
Senate Electoral Tribunal, now Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes, has admitted that
they have no case against him.
Zubiri said the Comelec proclaimed him as the 12th senator during the 15th
Congress and took his oath before the Supreme Court "so I worked to the best of
my ability."
Zubiri resigned last year amid allegations of electoral fraud. However, the
Comelec spared Zubiri of the charges and instead filed electoral sabotage
charges against former President Gloria Arroyo and former Comelec chair Benjamin
Abalos.
Pimentel's father and namesake, veteran lawmaker former Sen. Aquilino "Nene"
Pimentel Jr., said he could not accept the decision of UNA preferring Zubiri
over his son.
"(But) There is not much I can do about it but at the very least I still can
and will denounce it as unworthy of the lofty aims of UNA and totally
undeserving of the support of our people," he said.
The elder Pimentel, who founded PDP-Laban, said the decision of UNA shows
that "money trounces principles."
"I concede that Migz Zubiri - who UNA prefers over Koko - has one advantage
over the latter. And that is simply m-o-n-e-y," he said in a statement.
"It sends the unconscionable message that it is all right for UNA to have
cheats join the cheated in its political slate and endorse them all for the
people to support because of the 'focus' of the alliance is to win in the 2013
elections. In language of the `kanto' boys, that means winning elections at all
cost," he said.
FROM THE INQUIRER
ERAP TO PIMENTEL: GIVE AND FORGIVE By Christian V. Esguerra, Michael Lim Ubac INQUIRER
Saying he had not given up on his godson, former President Joseph
Estrada on Thursday gave disgruntled Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III a
lesson or two in humility and forgiveness as the junior lawmaker continued to
refuse to run with former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on the same senatorial
ticket next year.
Pimentel stopped attacking Zubiri, but still would not run with him.
Estrada, 75, said he had forgiven Zubiri, who once belonged to a group of
young House members called Spice Boys that was highly critical of his
administration.
"Give and forgive in order to be happy," Estrada told the Philippine Daily
Inquirer by phone, referring to Pimentel who remained opposed to Zubiri's being
given a slot on the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial ticket.
"I've forgiven a lot of people," Estrada said. "At least, I'm happy. I feel
better. You no longer wake up in the morning thinking how you could get even.
It's not good. You can't move on."
Pimentel refuses to run with Zubiri because the former Bukidnon
representative kept him from serving the first four years of his six-year term
in the Senate.
But Estrada pointed out that Zubiri stepped down in August last year when it
became apparent that he had benefited from massive cheating in the count of the
senatorial votes in Maguindanao during the 2007 elections. The count gave the
12th seat at stake to Zubiri.
"Nauuna yabang eh, akala nila sila lang ang righteous," Estrada said in
reaction to recent attacks both by Pimentel and his father, former Senator
Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr., against the UNA leadership.
"I'm still not giving up," Estrada said. "But we cannot do anything if he
doesn't (want to stay with us). We have exerted all efforts for him to stay."
Estrada did not like Pimentel senior's claim that UNA took in Zubiri because
of money.
"Of course not," Estrada said. "We're not like that."
Pimentel senior said in a statement on Wednesday that he conceded that Zubiri
had one advantage over his son, money, in UNA's choice of senatorial candidates.
"Pambihira sya," Estrada said. "The money is with the Liberal (Party of
President Benigno Aquino) because they're the ones sitting. In our case, we're
the ones looking for money to be given to our senatorial candidates."
Estrada said he was no stranger to being abandoned by a Pimentel. He recalled
that Pimentel senior, the Senate President in 2001, turned his back on him to
join Edsa 2, which ousted him from the presidency.
Despite that, Estrada said Pimentel senior sought his help later on when the
younger Pimentel filed an election protest against Zubiri in 2007. He said he
extended assistance, but declined to elaborate.
"He is my godson that's why as much as possible, I don't want him to leave
(UNA)," Estrada said.
Pimentel junior told reporters Thursday that he would stop calling Zubiri a
cheat. He said he was trying to be fair and giving Zubiri the benefit of the
doubt.
He said he would not talk anymore about UNA's taking in Zubiri as a
senatorial candidate, but he still would not run on the same ticket with Zubiri.
No sure plan
Pimentel said he had no sure political plan for 2013. He asked reporters to
give him two weeks to "ponder things."
Asked if he planned to leave UNA and join the Liberal Party, Pimentel
replied, "It's complicated."
He said, however, that he was trying to save his membership in UNA.
Zubiri was glad that Pimentel would no longer attack him.
"I myself will cease from making any statements on the matter of the
selection of the UNA candidates for senator," Zubiri told the Inquirer. "I hope
we can remain civil and friendly to each other."
But Pimentel did not say that he would stop going after Zubiri for the fraud
in the 2007 elections.
He called on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to act on his request that she
expand the Department of Justice investigation into electoral sabotage cases
under the Arroyo administration.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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