DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 August) – As newly proclaimed Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III was being sworn into office Friday morning in Mati City, Davao Oriental, his former rival, resigned senator Juan Miguel Zubiri told MindaNews he will run again for the same post in 2013.
Zubiri, who was in the city to meet with fellow alumni in the University of the Philippines-Los Banos Alumni Association Davao City Chapter, said is running to see if the people still trust him.
“For me, if I will win, it will be the best vindication,” he said in an interview.
Zubiri, a BS Agribusiness Management graduate of UPLB in 1990, stepped down last week over allegations he benefited from cheating in the 2007 elections.
He boasted that the laws he authored and co-authored as congressman and later as senator can speak for his accomplishments as public servant.
His profile page at the Senate’s website says that Zubiri is the principal author and sponsor of more than 20 major laws, both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.
On the other hand, Zubiri congratulated Pimentel and expressed his support to the new senator.
“My congratulations to Senator Pimentel, my prayers, and if he needs my support, I’m just here.
We need more Mindanao voices in the Senate,” he said.
