SENATE Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, who will be seeking re-election in the 2025 elections, has resigned from the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP).
The PDP-Laban was the ruling political party during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Just recently, PDP decided to drop Laban (Lakas ng Bayan) as part of its name during its national council meeting and anniversary celebration in Cebu.
Tolentino’s resignation came after the appeal of its new party president, Senator Robin Padilla, for him to step down as vice president for Luzon and quit PDP in order to focus on his job as majority leader.
Tolentino admitted he was hurt by Padilla's request since he was already with the PDP when the actor-turned politician joined the party.
Tolentino clarified however, that he remains a friend of Duterte, the PDP national chairman.
He maintained his stance that the International Criminal Court cannot enter the country to investigate Duterte and others in connection with international body’s probe on the bloody drug war under the previous administration..
Last July 25, Padilla wrote a letter to Tolentino asking him to leave the party.
But even before Padilla asked him to quit PDP, Tolentino said he had earlier sent a letter to Rep. Jose Alvarez, former party president, saying he would no longer participate in the party’s activities.
He also informed Alvarez that he would want to be an independent legislator because his views on the West Philippine Sea differed from the PDP.
Tolentino has been pushing for a multi-lateral approach in resolving the WPS controversy as opposed to the PDP’s proposition for bilateral talks with China.
