MinDA chair Piñol resigns, leaves PDP-Laban to run for senator

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Emmanuel Piñol on Monday said he has resigned from the Cabinet and will leave PDP-Laban to run for Senate.

In a Facebook post, Piñol said he tendered his resignation last week effective at the end of office hours on October 5.

"Does my resignation and decision to run for a Senate seat outside of the party of President Duterte mean that I am parting ways with him or I am turning my back on him? No, never," he said.

"Masyadong malalim ang personal ko na relasyon sa Pangulo," Piñol said, adding Duterte is the godfather of his two children.

[My personal relationship with the President is too deep for that.]

"Sa mga nagtatatanong kung bakit hindi daw po ako kasama sa ticket ng administrasyon, 'yan ay dapat sagutin ng grupo ni Sec. Alfonso Cusi na siyang nagpalabas ng mga pangalan ng kanilang mga kandidato sa pagka-Senador," he added.

[To those who are asking why am I not on the administration's ticket, that should be answered by the group of [Energy] Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who released the party's list of candidates.]

Piñol, who also served as the Agriculture secretary from June 2016 to August 2019, said Cusi's group did not include him in its initial Senate slate despite many wanting him to run.

"Ngayon at nagdesisyon na ang Pangulo na hindi na tatakbo sa politika, mas lalong lumuwag ang dibdib ko sapagka't sa tingin ko malaya na akong ipagpatuloy ang mga adbokasiya ko sa Agriculture," he said.

[Now that the President has decided he would no longer run, I feel more free to continue my agriculture advocacies.]

Piñol also said he assured Duterte in his resignation letter that their friendship "will remain steadfast and will never be affected by politics." — BM, GMA News