MANILA, Philippines — Several members of Partido Reporma have announced their resignations from the party after standard-bearer Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson announced his departure after receiving word that it would support another candidate instead.
Partido Reporma has yet to publicly announce who they will be backing although party president Pantaleon Alvarez, congressman for Davao del Norte, has mentioned Vice President Leni Robredo.
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Members of Partido Reporma's Cavite chapter as well as the party spokesperson announced their resignations in letters addressed to Alvarez.
"It is with regret that I, as Chairman of Partido Reporma, Cavite Chapter, together with all the District and Municipal/City Chairmen hereby tender our resignation from our respective posts in the Party," Rafael Rodriguez said in a letter shared with reporters.
"Our collective stand is in line with the decision of our presidential candidate, Sen. Ping Lacson, to resign from the Party and push through with his presidential aspiration as an Independent candidate," he added.
Lacson earlier launched his presidential campaign in Imus, Cavite, his hometown.
Separately, Partido Reporma spokesperson Ashley Acedillo announced in a letter addressed to Alvarez that he is resigning from the party, saying he is fully committed in supporting Lacson's presidential bid.
Acedillo said he will now be Lacson's official spokesman in his campaign.
Earlier Thursday, Lacson announced that he is resigning from Partido Reporma, which earlier designated him as their standard bearer, after the party's slate in Davao del Norte led by Gov. Edwin Juhabib — the party's secretary general — chose to endorse another presidential bet.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said later Thursday that a candidate's affiliation in his Certificate of Candidacy "will be his party for purposes of the ballots."
Last year, Lacson was named chairman of the Partido Reporma. He had previously run and identified as an independent.