– Senator Robin Padilla expressed concern over PDP-Laban’s campaign struggles

– Padilla said that this is being caused by the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, their main crowd-drawer

– The actor-turned-politician emphasized how Duterte’s presence used to attract supporters without the need for financial incentives, but now the party feels lost without him

– According to Padillia, Duterte’s arrest has impacted PDP-Laban’s campaign efforts as they navigate the upcoming midterm elections without their central figure

Senator Robin Padilla has voiced significant concern over the challenges faced by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in campaigning for the upcoming midterm elections following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Rodrigo Duterte / Robin Padilla Source: Facebook

Padilla emphasized Duterte’s pivotal role as the party’s primary crowd-puller, stating, “Kailangan namin si Rodrigo Duterte. Ngayon, yung aming number one crowd-drawer ay nakakulong. So papaano naman po kami niyan? Hindi naman po kami milyonaryo, hindi po kami bilyonaryo. Wala pong pera ang PDP.”

Highlighting Duterte’s ability to attract and mobilize supporters, Padilla explained, “Kapag nandiyan si Digong, hindi mo kailangan ng pampamasahe, hindi mo kailangan ng pampalubag-loob na pagkain, darating po yung tao.”

He further illustrated the party’s current predicament by comparing their situation to “a headless chicken,” stating, “Kasi po yung aming ulo, na nasa kanya po lahat ng katangian para dumating ang tao, eh wala po, nandito nakakulong sa malayong lugar. Sa totoo lang po, eh para po kaming manok na walang ulo na paikot-ikot.”

The arrest of Duterte has intensified political tensions within the Philippines, especially as the midterm elections approach. The former president’s detention has been a polarizing issue, with supporters viewing it as a politically motivated act, while critics see it as a step towards accountability.

As the campaign season progresses, PDP-Laban faces the challenge of rallying support and maintaining its political influence without its central figurehead. The party’s ability to navigate these obstacles will be crucial in determining its success in the forthcoming elections.

Here is the video of Padilla speaking about the campaign issues of PDP bets, shared on Instagram by Duterte supporter Vivian Velez:

Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines. He left Malacañang on June 30, 2022. The newly inaugurated President of the Philippines is Bongbong Marcos who got 31 million votes in the May 2022 elections. The new Vice President of the Philippines is VP Sara Duterte, the daughter of the former president.

Earlier, Sen. Imee Marcos had a statement on former President Rodrigo Duterte turning 80 on Friday, March 28. In a press conference on Thursday, March 27, the lady senator expressed her birthday wish for the former leader.

In a previous report, Sen. Robin Padilla’s vehicle was involved in an accident in the Netherlands. The actor-turned-politician posted about the accident on Facebook on Friday evening, Philippine time. In his post, Padilla shared some details about the minor accident. It is worth noting that Padilla flew to the Netherlands following the arrest of FPRRD.