Pangilinan resigns as LP President, cites Otso Diretso defeat
Published on: Wednesday, May 22, 2019
MANILA: Senator Francis Pangilinan (pic) said Tuesday he resigned as President of the Liberal Party, taking responsibility for the loss of all 8 opposition senatorial candidates.
Three sources confirmed Pangilinan’s move before it was made public. He tendered his resignation to Vice President Leni Robredo, the Chairperson of the LP.
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“As campaign manager for the Otso Diretso slate, I was unable to ensure our victory in the elections and I therefore assume full responsibility for the outcome and hold myself primarily accountable for this defeat,” he said in a statement.
Quezon City 6th District Rep. Kit Belmonte also resigned as LP Secretary General, sources said.
Nine senatorial candidates backed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago, are set to be proclaimed. The three other winning candidates are independents.
Otso Diretso’s slate included incumbent Sen. Bam Aquino and former Sen. Mar Roxas.
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One source said that Pangilinan was most distraught over the failure of Aquino to secure a second 6-year term.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Robredo has not acted on the resignations, but sent a representative to the party meeting, the same source said.
