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Koko Pimentel to run for House seat vs former ally Marikina Mayor Teodoro

Article (news)

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Following years at the upper house that included a stint as Senate president, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is seeking a congressional seat as Marikina City’s 1st district representative.</p><p>The former national chairperson of PDP-Laban — since renamed PDP — is running under the Nacionalista Party after the Commission on Elections recognized a faction of the party led by former President Rodrigo Duterte and former energy secretary Alfonso Cusi as the legitimate wing of the party.</p><p>Pimentel said that he plans to focus his legislative agenda on free trade, the perennial problem of flooding as well as Marikina’ debts which, according to him, is one of the largest in Metro Manila. </p><p>“Nakita namin na marami rin kaming magagawa as legislator at using our connections and network kasi galing din naman tayo sa National. So malaki ang tulong na madadala natin sa District 1,” he said. </p><p>(We think that we can do a lot as a legislator and use our connections and network since we came from a national poisition. That would give a big boost to our aim for District 1.)</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/22/pdp-laban-stalwart-pimentel-why-take-over-party-just-to-change-it-1143">PDP-Laban stalwart Pimentel: Why take over party just to change it?</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>‘A BETTER ALTERNATIVE’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Pimentel is running against his former ally Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, who filed his COC for the same position on Saturday. </p><p>The senator explained the original plan was for him to run in the 1st District while Teodoro would run in the 2nd District.</p><p>He said they were caught by surprise when Teodoro decided to transfer his voter registration to the 1st District.</p><p>“Eh di sabi ko tuloy nalang yung plano. We will just show the people that there is an alternative, bagong pulitika (new politics). We have to respect our word. Dapat may word of honor tayo kasi kung parating ganiyan ang pulitika natin hindi aasenso ang bansa, if our leaders and politicians have no word of honor.”</p><p>(So I said we’ll just continue with our plan. We have to have a word of honor because if we don’t we will not see progress.)</p><p>He said that Teodoro might have had doubts about his chances in the city’s 2nd District, prompting the transfer</p><p>“Tayo naman, hindi tayo dinaga so itutuloy natin yung pagtakbo sa District 1,” Pimentel said.</p><p>(We’re not scared, we will push through with the congressional bid for District 1.)</p>

<p>Pimentel said that he plans to focus his legislative agenda on free trade, the perennial problem of flooding as well as Marikina’ debts which, according to him, is one of the largest in Metro Manila. </p>

Pimentel said that he plans to focus his legislative agenda on free trade, the perennial problem of flooding as well as Marikina’ debts which, according to him, is one of the largest in Metro Manila.