Dear Sir,
I write to correct the inaccuracies in the column of Johnny Dayang, which was published in Tempo on December 29, 2017.
It is Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, as Party President, in coordination with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the Party Secretary General, and DoE Secretary Alfonso Cusi, the Party Vice-Chair, who chose the date for the said party. It was PDP Laban’s National Headquarters, under the oversight of PDP Laban President Pimentel, which organized the event.
It is therefore impossible for Senate President Pimentel to be “belatedly informed about the affair” and to confront the organizers to ask, “why he was not informed beforehand (sic) about the party and why it was not reset considering the leaders’ conflicting schedules,” as alleged by Mr. Dayang.
Senate President Pimentel was in constant communication with President Rodrigo Duterte during that night, as priority bills of the Administration were then being deliberated. There was no discord between Party leaders, nor was there a scene involving the Senate President and the organizers. I trust that your paper can set the record straight on this matter.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
Ronwald F. Munsayac
Chair, Public Information Committee