Sotto expects NPC to 'struggle to keep party strong' after Danding Cojuangco's demise | ABS-CBN

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Sotto expects NPC to 'struggle to keep party strong' after Danding Cojuangco's demise

Sotto expects NPC to 'struggle to keep party strong' after Danding Cojuangco's demise

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Jun 18, 2020 02:32 PM PHT

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Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III presides over a Senate session on May 11, 2020. Henzberg Austria, Senate PRIB

MANILA - The Nationalist People's Coalition "will obviously struggle" to maintain its strength after the demise of its founding chair Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr., Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.

Cojuangco - a tycoon who wields influence in politics, business and sports - died earlier this week after his bout with lung cancer.

"Boss Danding is irreplaceable," Sotto told reporters in a text message.

"We will obviously struggle to keep our party strong and steady because of the loss of our Chairman Emeritus," said Sotto, the NPC member now holding the highest elected post.

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It will be "very difficult" for the NPC to find Cojuangco's successor as the late chairman emeritus is "a very strong figure inside the party," Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Cojuangco was not involved in the day-to-day operations of the party but continued to wield influence over its members, said the senator who has been with the NPC since his foray into politics in 2001.

"NPC is a very unique party, if you look at other parties, kung sino nakaupo dadami (who is in power, his party gets more members) [but] NPC maintains its numbers kahit sino nakaupo (whoever is in power). Itong mga members ay loyal sa party (the members are loyal to the party) and also to Boss Danding," he said.

"Over the years, marami na siyang experience so he gets a lot of respect from the members and the members also respect his views and wisdom," he said.

Based on the NPC's tradition, decisions "are made by a Council of Elders" and then relegated to members, Gatchalian said.

"Ngayong wala na si Boss Danding (Now that boss Danding is gone), that Council will function more actively," he said, noting that the "2022 elections is just around the corner."

"One of the biggest decisions of the party is who to choose for elections," he said.

The NPC "will meet soon to discuss the party’s future," Sotto said.

Aside from Sotto and Gatchalian, the NPC also has Sen. Lito Lapid and at least 32 representatives in the House as members.


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