Rodrigo Duterte-led PDP lauds VP Sara's resignation from Marcos Cabinet

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed support Friday for the decision of Vice President Sara Duterte to resign from her Cabinet posts, saying this does not change her love for the country.

"The PDP lauds and supports the principled leadership of VP Sara Duterte who shows love for country in every decision," the PDP said.

"We are in solidarity with Vice President Sara in translating into action our shared values of being Maka-Diyos, Maka-Bansa at higit sa lahat ang ipaglaban ang interes at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino," the party added.

(We are in solidarity with Vice President Sara in translating into action our shared values of being God-fearing, patriotic, and most of all, ready to fight for the interest and well-being of all Filipinos.)

Last Tuesday, the Vice President announced her decision to quit as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has accepted her resignation, Malacañang said, which is effective July 19.

Duterte said her resignation was not due to weakness, but out of concern for teachers and students.

While her father chaired PDP, the Vice President was never a part of the party.

Sara leads the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional party, and later joined Lakas-CMD as its chairperson ahead of her 2022 vice presidential run.

Vice President Duterte later quit Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) in May 2023, citing politicking and supposed efforts to undermine her.

Back in April, the Duterte-chaired PDP dropped Laban from its name.

PDP-Laban was formed in 1983 through the merger of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), co-founded by Pimentel's father Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr., with the Lakas Ng Bayan (Laban) party, founded by Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. Both were opposition leaders during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

It was a dominant party in 1986, in the aftermath of the election victory of Aquino's widow Corazon Aquino and Marcos Sr.'s ouster.

Following changes in the political landscape over two decades later, PDP-Laban backed the elder Duterte's presidential bid in 2016.

Ahead of the 2022 polls, the party was split to two factions: the wing led by Duterte and then-Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi, and the other led by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and then-Senator Manny Pacquiao.

In 2022, the Commission on Elections ruled that the Cusi wing was the legitimate PDP-Laban party, but Pimentel's faction has since asked the Supreme Court to reverse that decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News