Manny Piñol quits Cabinet to run for senator under Lacson-Sotto ticket

A senior Cabinet member has resigned to pursue his senatorial ambition in the 2022 elections.

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) chair Manny Piñol announced plans to run for senator under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in his latest Facebook post. The former agriculture secretary said he was heeding the call of the agriculture and fisheries sector “to be their voice in the Senate” and protect their welfare against anti-agriculture policies and legislations.

The NPC party earlier fielded Senator Panfilo Lacson as standard bearer with Senate President Tito Sotto as running mate for the presidential race.

“I wrote President Rody Duterte a letter tendering my resignation as a member of his Cabinet effective at the end of office hours on Oct. 5. I thanked him for the opportunity to serve the country as his Agriculture Secretary from June 30, 2016 to Aug. 5, 2019 and as Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority from Aug. 5, 2019 to Oct. 5, 2021,” he said.

Piñol promised to continue to support President Duterte despite his departure from the Cabinet and senatorial run under a different political party. Duterte is chair of the ruling PDP-Laban party.

“In the resignation letter I sent the President last week, I assured him that our friendship will remain steadfast and will never be affected by politics.Again, I thank the President for the opportunity to serve the Filipino people and for categorically declaring that my service as Agriculture Secretary was never tainted with corruption,” he said.

In his Senate run, Piñol vowed to his advance the welfare of farmers and fishermen as well as boost the country’s food security. His mission is to turn the Philippines in a major agriculture and fisheries producer in the world while generating jobs for Filipinos in the country.

“I am going to vie for a seat in the Senate bringing with me a head full of practical and doable ideas on how to boost Philippine Agriculture and a heart burning with love for the Filipino farmers, fishermen and workers,” he said.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)