Zubiri, Enrile ikinalungkot ang paglisan ni Koko Pimentel mula sa UNA

Ikinalungkot ni dating Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri ang naging desisyon ni Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III na iwan ang United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) dahil sa kanya.   "Today is a sad day for the people of the Visayas and Mindanao whose leaders have been clamoring for unity amongst us both to have more representation for the region," ani Zubiri, sa pamamagitan ng isang pahayag mula sa Italy.   Naroon si Zubiri sa Italy dahil sa pagdiriwang ng ika-50 wedding anniversary ng kanyang mga magulang.   Nauna nang inihayag ni Pimentel na kanyang iiwan ang UNA dahil hindi niya nais tumakbo kasama si Zubiri.   Ayon kay Zubiri, nais niyang makipag-ayos kay Pimentel para sa kanilang rehiyon. Parehong galing Mindanao si Zubiri at Pimentel.   "I don't believe our differences were irreconcilable as I share Koko's fight against electoral fraud. Remember that we are both victims here, as he was not able to start his term and that I was not able to finish mine," aniya.   Kwento ni Zubiri, akala niyang nagkaayos na silang dalawa sa isang television interview.   "[We] had agreed to help each other for the sake of the region we represent. This was all played live on national TV and I sincerely believed it and had hoped it prospered for the sake of Unity. That is why I'm saddened today with this development," aniya.   Matapos ang pag-alis ni Pimentel, inihayag ni Zubiri na hahayaan niya ang kanyang tadhana sa mga pinuno ng UNA.   "I have done no wrong and my records will show that I have served the people to the best of my ability and with no controversy attached to my name. All I want is to seek a fresh mandate in an orderly, honest, peaceful and automated election in 2013 to continue to serve the people that I love. That is not too much to ask," paliwanag ni Zubiri.   Apat na taong nagtunggali sina Pimentel at Zubiri sa Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) sa isyu kung sino ang karapat-dapat na makakuha ng ika-12 na posisyon sa Senado noong kontrobersyal na 2007 polls.   Noong nakaraang taon lamang naresolba ang isyu nang bumaba sa pwesto si Zubiri bilang senador at binasura ang counter-protest niya laban kay Pimentel. Pumayag din siyang iproklama si Pimentel bilang ika-12 winning senator noong halalan ng 2007.   Samantala, ikinalungkot din ni Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, na isa sa mga lider ng UNA, ang pag-alis ni Pimentel sa koalisyon.   "He would have been a worthy member of our ticket. But that’s a personal decision he has to make," ani Enrile, chairperson ng Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. Nabuo ang UNA sa koalisyon ng PMP at PDP-Laban.   Sa kabila nito, handa siyang tulungan si Pimentel kung humingi ito ng tulong.   "If as I said, he would ask for my support, I will help him just as much as I would the others without abandoning my obligations to my party and my coalition," dagdag ni Enrile. — Amanda Fernandez/ELR, GMA News