Garcia faction seeks HnP alliance

The breakaway faction of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) yesterday expressed a desire to ally itself with the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), the regional party headed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Faction leader and lawyer Rogelio Garcia said they are ready to answer the call of Duterte-Carpio that “if there is anything HnP can do to help PDP, our group is ready to assist them.”

Garcia noted that many other parties, national and local, have already joined HnP, including the Nacionalista Party of former Sen. Manny Villar.

PDP president Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, however, said Garcia’s faction has already been expelled from the party which fielded President Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 elections.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the two PDP factions will still meet in September to try to patch things up after a previous meeting brokered by the President ended in an impasse.

After the meeting, Duterte admonished both camps to make up or go their separate ways, but not to add up to his already many problems in running the affairs of the government.