But Pimentel insisted he has only served a single term and that he has yet to serve for two successive terms as a senator. In a statement Tuesday, Pimentel argued that his assumption of the unfinished term was not equivalent to and should not be treated as a full term as intended by the Constitution. (In) 2007-2013 term of office, which I began to serve only in Aug 2011, cannot be considered as one term for purposes of the two-term limit for senators and the Constitution. My only term is the 2013-2019 term. In the 2007 national elections, Pimentel was edged out of the 12th and last Senate seat.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 21, 2019 04:30 UTC