The senator from Mindanao, Sen. Koko Pimentel announced his intention to run for the highest position in the country’s upper house, the Philippine Senate when the 17th Congress opens in July 2016. The PDP-Laban president made the announcement on Friday, May 20, 2016 and explained that he will work closely with President Duterte.
In an announcement Sen. Pimentel was quoted as saying As president of the party, I will aspire to be Senate President so that the agenda of the party and the President can be shepherded through the Senate,” Pimentel told reporters. The announcement of the senator came before PDP-Laban, signed a coalition agreement with Nationalist’s People’s Coalition (NPC), considered as the country’s second largest political party.
According to Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, the presumptive president of the Philippines, Mayor Rody Duterte, chairman of PDP-Laban, had been informed by his partymates about his decision to run as Senate President as he revealed also that he got the blessings of the incoming Philippine President.
The son of veteran lawmaker, former senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., he is ready to engage in a “friendly competition” with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, whose name has been also floated as possible contender for the Senate presidency aside from Liberal Party’s bet Sen. Franklin Drilon.
Aside from the NPC, the PDP-Laban also forged an alliance with the Nacionalista Party headed by Sen. Cynthia Villar and wife Cynthia who recently forged an alliance to support the Duterte administration.
Some analysts also suggested that Sen. Koko Pimentel and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano should just consolidate their numbers in the Senate to secure the leadership in the Upper Chamber of the Legislative Department.
