Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel Takes Oath as New Member of National Unity Party
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel has officially left the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and joined the National Unity Party (NUP), as confirmed through his Facebook posts on Monday, December 11.
Former PDP-Laban deputy speaker Pimentel was sworn in as a member of the NUP by Chairman Ronaldo Puno and witnessed by NUP President Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte. Pimentel also shared a video of himself shaking hands with new party-mates at a welcoming event, indicating his warm reception into the NUP.
The move comes as a blow to PDP-Laban, which has seen a significant decrease in membership due to the resurgence of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) under the leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Pimentel, in an interview last November, predicted that PDP-Laban could be left with only four members in the House.
Pimentel resigned from PDP-Laban on November 16 after being with the party for five years. His decision to switch parties has significant implications for the political landscape, as PDP-Laban is chaired by former president Rodrigo Duterte and hails from Mindanao, like Pimentel.
