Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel. Photo: Senate/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III hit back at the Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and called them “fools” for asking him to refrain from using the party name he once headed. 

The request was made by PDP – Laban to Pimentel after the senator wrote a letter to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero asking him to convene court and commence impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte immediately. 

“PDP-Laban” was still used as his party name in the letter. 

“Sira pala ulo nila sabihin nila sakin hindi pa nila ko kinikick-out sa party eh, tapos aangal sila na andun pa sa existing stationery ko ‘yung PDP Laban,” Pimentel said on the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday. 

According to PDP-Laban, Pimentel “no longer has any legal or moral right” to use the party’s name since the 2023 ruling of the Commission on Elections favored former President Rodrigo Duterte, the father of the Vice President as its new leader. 

In its statement, the party said it is vehemently opposed to the impeachment of the Vice President and that his letter to the Senate President “makes it appear that the party has taken a different position” on the case. 

Pimentel answered that the case is still pending before the Supreme Court which could still be “reversed.” 

He even recalled former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, PDP-Laban President, telling him that he is not expelled from the party. 

“Si Cusi mismo sinabihan ako na hindi naman daw nila ko inexpel sa partido nila. Oh eh di ayoko na makasama sila. Pero hindi nila ako inexpel eh so ba’t aangal ngayon sila kung gamit ko pa ang PDP-Laban na partido ko namang tunay ‘yan,” he said. 

“Partido ng father ko at ako ang bumuhay niyan hanggang sa time ng kaso ng Comelec,” he said. 

Pimentel is currently running as representative of Marikina’s 1st District under the Nacionalista Party.

He explained that the original PDP-Laban gave him and Sen. Manny Pacquiao the permission to use another party for the May 2025 elections. 

Despite the tiff with current members of PDP-Laban, Pimentel said he remains open and ready to regain party leadership once his group wins the battle at the Supreme Court. 

He also would not be endorsing the Duterte slate. 

“No, we’re not endorsing that,” he said.