MANILA – Opposition Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan stepped down as president of the Liberal Party after its “Otso Diretso” senatorial bets were wiped-out during the 2019 midterm polls last week.
Pangilinan on Tuesday said he decided to relinquish his position in the opposition party effective on June 30 as none of their senatorial candidates made it to the “Magic 12.”
“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,” Pangilinan said.
Aside from Pangilinan, reelected Quezon City’s 6th district representative Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte tendered his resignation as the secretary general of the party.
The LP fielded eight Senate bets where Sen. Bam Aquino ranked the highest at 14th place, while former LP president Mar Roxas ranked 16th based on the partial and unofficial results.
However, Vice President and LP Chairman Leni Robredo refused to accept the resignation of Pangilinan and Belmonte as they aimed to regroup for the 2022 national elections.
“The Vice President has not accepted Sen. Kiko’s and Cong. Kit’s resignations. Much work remains to be done, and they will do it together,” Atty. Barry Gutierrez said.
Once a dominant party, the LP diminished with just four members in the Senate including Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Franklin Drilon and Leila de Lima and 18 members in the House of Representatives. /PN
