Binay to assume duties as PDP-Laban president

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay will assume the duties of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel as president of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), PDP-Laban secretary-general Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said yesterday.

Cojuangco said Binay, PDP-Laban chairman, has accepted the party’s request for him to take over the duties left behind by Pimentel.

“We will leave the position (of party president) as it is but Vice President Binay will assume the duties of Koko,” Cojuangco said.

Cojuangco said Pimentel, who decided to be a guest senatorial candidate of the administration Liberal Party (LP), cannot administer the party’s commitment to the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

UNA is the coalition of Binay’s PDP-Laban and former President Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

“We are thankful that the Vice President has accepted this arrangement since Koko cannot attend to the party’s commitment to UNA in the agreement with PMP which he himself signed,” Cojuangco said, adding that Binay stopped moves to oust Pimentel.

Binay will arrive tonight from his three-day visit in Tehran, Iran where he attended the 16th Non-Aligned Movement.

“While the Vice President remains busy with his governmental duties, he laid out clear instructions for party members to continue all efforts to make our party stronger across the nation,” he said.