Floirendo bewails expulsion from ruling PDP-Laban

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s biggest election campaign donor, Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., yesterday decried his sudden expulsion from the ruling party PDP-Laban.

Floirendo denounced his erstwhile party for its “immediate termination” of his membership “without due process” and without even hearing his side.

He said the letter of termination “cited three violations which were attributed to me without asking in writing for my side on the issues.”

“Worse, they imputed on me certain partisan activities I did not even have a clue whatsoever, and accused me maliciously of disloyalty, sowing disunity and discord and using media to air my grievances,” Floirendo said in a statement.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, as national president of the party, led the signing of the letter of expulsion.

Other signatories are Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, as secretary-general of the party, and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, as vice-chairman.

In the letter of expulsion, Floirendo was charged with disloyalty to the party and its leaders, organizing and participating in an unauthorized and unsanctioned party convention thereby sowing disunity and discord within the party; and manifesting grievances to the public and media instead of settling internal disputes.

This was contrary to the democratic, legal, moral and ethical principles and policies PDP-Laban founders have preached and stood for, Floirendo said.

“It is also notable that one of its present leaders has resorted to fabrication of stories and lies just to advance his interest and his personal crusade against me and my family,” Floirendo added.

“Already at the tail-end of numerous false allegations by this individual who had benefited avariciously from our family, my being accused of imagined transgressions violates accepted rules on impartiality, which is what the party has always fought for,” he said.

Despite his expulsion, Floirendo said he would continue to support President Duterte, to whom he donated P75 million during the election campaign as reported to the Commission on Elections by the Chief Executive himself.

“Despite this unstatesman-like demeanor of a few, let me just reiterate that my full support is still with our President and I shall keep within me the true ideals and virtues of PDP Laban,” Floirendo said.

Floirendo did not name names, but he and Alvarez are embroiled in a bitter feud reportedly triggered by a spat between their girlfriends.

He and his House boss were formerly close friends. He represents Davao del Norte’s second district while Alvarez is representative of the first district.

Alvarez had filed a complaint for graft against his erstwhile buddy, accusing him of still having financial interest in Tagum Agricultural Development Corp. (Tadeco) while he was a member of the House of Representatives. The law prohibits such practice.

Recently, the Office of the Ombudsman, where the Speaker filed his complaint, found probable cause to indict Floirendo, who claimed he had terminated his financial interest in the family-owned business.

Upon the instance of Alvarez, the House of Representatives committee on good government has inquired into the renewal of Tadeco’s contract, which the Speaker said is grossly disadvantageous to the government. – With Jose Rodel Clapano