Duterte is Mindanao's best hope for president, says Pimentel  

Why did PDP-Laban choose Davao City's ruthless mayor as its standard bearer for the May elections?

"He's the pride of the party. He has a track record, a long history of efficient and effective governance in Davao City- 20 years as mayor and another three years as congressman," PDP-Laban president, Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said in a media forum Saturday.

Other than his track record, Pimentel believes Duterte is the best hope for Mindanaoans to have one of their own on the seat of power.

"The PDP of the PDP-Laban was formed in Mindanao. He is Mindanao's best hope for a Mindanaoan president so we are proud," Pimentel said.

Partido Demokratikong Pilipino or PDP was formed in 1982 or a few months after the lifting of Martial Law by Mindanao opposition leaders that included then detained Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr.

The following year, PDP coalesced with Lakas ng Bayan (Laban), the party formed by former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. who was killed by an assassin that year. The two parties formalized the merger in 1984 as the anti-Marcos forces gained traction following Aquino's death.

PDP-Laban advanced the candidacy of Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino, after President Ferdinand Marcos called a snap presidential elections in 1986.

The party would later form part of an administration coalition which later emerged as the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), which was geared up to serve as the political machinery of then Speaker Ramon V. Mitra who was eyeing the presidency in 1992.

PDP-Laban and the Liberal Party-Salonga wing disengaged from the administration coalition and fielded Senate President Jovito Salonga and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in the 1992 elections.

PDP-Laban coasted along through several elections until it again shot to prominence middle of last year when it offered to serve as the political vehicle of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The younger Pimentel said Duterte was placing prominently in surveys even before the period for the filing of certificates of candidacy in October.

"(There's) the fact that even though he was not yet a declared candidate, he was tying with the frontrunner or a confident second or third in the early surveys," he said. — APG, GMA News