The announcement of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III that he will run as guest candidate of the Liberal Party had long been anticipated by the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), the coalition yesterday said.
“That he finally made the announcement is a welcome development,”  UNA spokesman JV Bautista said in a statement.
“Senator Pimentel’s departure from UNA leaves one more slot available for another senatorial candidate in the UNA slate worthy of the people’s choice and support in the 2013 elections,” he stressed, adding “the unity of UNA remains firm and unflinching.  It is not in any way affected nor in the least inconvenienced by Senator Pimentel’s latest move.”
The opposition party said the “PDP-Laban... will remain steadfast in its support of UNA and its senatorial and local candidates.  Under the strong leadership of its chairman, Vice President Jojo Binay, and its secretary-general, former Rep. Peping Cojuangco, PDP-Laban will strengthen its ranks and bolster its role as one of the organizational foundations of UNA.  The party finds no distraction and is all the more focused on its party-building and political networking to contribute to UNA victory in 2013.”
Pimentel is currently the president of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) which formed the UNA with
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada.
The inclusion of Pimentel’s known political nemesis, former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri in the UNA senatorial slate, prompted the latter to seek alliance with other political parties in pursuing his reelection in the upper chamber.
Occupying slot No.5, Pimentel hinted at the administration party’s slate completed by September.
Asked what made him decide to join Aquino’s team, Pimentel claims indebtedness to President Aquino largely contributed to his decision, which he described as an easy one to make but hinted at keeping his membership with the PDP Laban.
Pimentel said he knows the administration coalition is trying to trim down its list of 13 senatorial hopefuls.
The administration coalition includes the LP, the Nacionalista Party (NP), the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP).
Sen. Ralph Recto, a member of the administration party, said Pimentel is a welcome addition to their ranks in the emerging coalition.
“I welcome that. He’s a great asset to the LP. I look forward to working with him in the Senate again as I’m working with him today in the Senate,” he added.
Another colleague, Sen. Alan Peter Cayatano of NP, also welcomed Pimentel’s inclusion as one of the coalition candidates.
“That does not pose as a problem to us (in the coalition) because he’s (considered an) asset,” he said.