Kit Belmonte quits as Liberal Party secretary general

Reelected Quezon City 6th District Representative Jose Christopher "Kit" Belmonte said he has resigned as secretary general of the Liberal Party.

Belmonte himself confirmed this development to GMA News Online after Senator Francis Pangilinan announced that he has also stepped down as president of the former ruling party.

"Back to work kami," Belmonte said when asked about his plans after he tendered his resignation from his post.

A source told GMA News Online that Belmonte cited the same reason that Pangilinan gave in resigning, taking responsibility over the defeat of all senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition slate in the May 13 elections.

This was eventually confirmed by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, who is also a member of the LP.

"It was a courtesy resignation as an aftermath of the election," Lagman said.

Belmonte is one of the only 18 candidates from the LP who are poised to secure seats in the next Congress.

With a small number of congressmen from their group poised to win in the elections, Belmonte has said the public can expect "the same tyranny from the supermajority."

Nevertheless, the Liberals and its allies will remain firm with their values and principles, he said.

"Maaaring kaunti kami, pero lalaban kami. Dahil hindi nadadaan sa paramihan ng mga nakataas na kamay ang tama at mali," Belmonte said in an earlier statement.

Vice President and LP Chairman Leni Robredo, however, rejected the resignation of Pangilinan and Belmonte.

"The Vice President has not accepted Senator Kiko’s and Cong. Kit’s resignations. Much work remains to be done, and they will do it, together," lawyer Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson of Robredo, said in a statement.

Malacañang on the other hand on Tuesday commended Pangilinan’s decision to resign as LP president, saying it shows the senator accepts defeat.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the "overwhelming majority" of the electorate responded to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte call to support those whom he said would help pass laws supportive of his goal "to uplift the masses of our people and give them comfortable lives they richly deserve."

Panelo said the voters rejected the negative propaganda unleashed by the opposition against the President and his administration such as extrajudicial killings, the drug war and the South China Sea dispute. —KG, GMA News