VP seeks end to turncoatism
Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo on Sunday said she is pushing for an end to political turncoatism to urge politicians to uphold “principles over popularity” especially when seeking elective posts.
“Ngayon, kung nasaan iyong Pangulo, doon lahat. Kung ano iyong political party ng Pangulo, nandoon lahat. Hindi magandang practice siya kasi parang tino-tolerate natin na hindi prinsipyo inyong papairalin (Now, wherever the President is, everybody else seems to follow. Whatever his political party is, the others are also in it, too. It is not a good practice because we seem to tolerate this instead of living up to our principles),” Robredo told reporters in a chance interview during an orientation on liberal democracy in Legazpi City, Albay.
Robredo said there should be a discussion on how to discipline politicians in standing by their respective political parties, instead of letting them become personality-oriented.
“Para sa akin, pag-usapan nang maayos. Pag-aralan kung ano talaga iyong magwo-work sa atin. Pero definitely ibawal talaga iyong turncoatism, kasi parang mine-make na mockery niya iyong political parties. Ngayon, hindi na mahalaga (I think there should be an extensive discussion. We should study what system would really work for us. But definitely, turncoatism should be banned, because it is mocking political parties like they do not matter at all),” according to the Vice President.
Robredo heads the Liberal Party (LP), the leader of the Oposisyon Koalisyon that is composed of other opposition groups: Aksyon Demokratiko, Magdalo, Akbayan and Tindig Pilipinas.
Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., chairman of the LP membership and recruitment committee, told The Manila Times that as of October, there are only over 500 politicians who are incumbent members of the party.
“We have been organizing chapters and recruiting card-bearing true Liberal democrats. So far, we have 9,000 applicants and 2,000 new non-politicians…but as to politicians, probably down to 500 only,” he said.
Running against the opposition coalition in next year’s mid-term elections are Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) led by President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago headed by his daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Robredo previously cited the case of the Liberal Party, which she noted bred “political butterflies” after the end of the term of then-President Benigno Aquino 3rd.
“Our party is just small. When (Aquino) became President, politicians rushed to the LP and we became bigger, but when (he) stepped down our numbers dwindled again,” she said.
PDP-Laban president and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel 3rd said in August that since the 2016 elections, the membership of the party has significantly increased from 40,000 to 93,000, with 300,000 pending applications.
The party’s members include two senators, 126 congressmen, 38 governors, 24 vice governors, 171 board members, 649 mayors, 142 vice mayors and 20 assemblymen.
The post VP seeks end to turncoatism appeared first on The Manila Times Online.