Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) was founded in 1982 by Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and a group of protesters of the Marcos government. These protesters include the leaders of Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City, such as Zafiro L. Respic
By 1984, PDP had formed a coalition with the Lakas ng Bayan party, founded earlier by former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1978. In 1986, the two groups merged to form the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP-LABAN. At that period, PDP-LABAN became the single biggest opposition group to run against the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 Snap Presidential elections. Corazon Aquino, wife of Lakas ng Bayan founder Benigno Aquino, Jr. was the party's nominee for President that year. Aquino was persuaded to run by businessman Joaquin Roces, who was convinced that Aquino would have the biggest chance to defeat Marcos in the polls. Roces started the Cory Aquino for President movement to gather one million voters in one week to urge Aquino to run as president. However, another opposition group led by Senator Salvador Laurel of Batangas was also participating in the election, with Laurel as the presidential bet. Before the election, Aquino approached Laurel and offered to give up her allegiance to the PDP-LABAN party, and run as president under Laurel's United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) party. Laurel became the nominee for Vice President. He also approached Aquino, offering her the Vice Presidential nomination of UNIDO or Unity. In the end, Laurel became the Vice Presidential running-mate of Aquino, after being convinced to do so by the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin.
PDP-LABAN aligned itself with UNIDO, which became the main group and leader of the coalition which opposed Marcos. After the People Power Revolution of 1986, which saw Aquino and Laurel being proclaimed President and Vice President, respectively, PDP-LABAN continued it's allegiance with UNIDO, until the latter's dissolution in 1987. In 1988, PDP-LABAN was split into two factions: the Pimintel Wing of Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and the Cojuangco Wing of Jose Cojuangco, Jr.. The Cojuangco Wing and the Lakas ng Bansa party of House Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr. merged in 1988 to form the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino party.
PDP LABAN today is headed by its chairman,Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, after current Vice-President of the Philippines, Hon. Jejomar Binay resigned as party chairman and left the party. The party is currently re-grouping and there are some movements of expansion especially in Mindanao, where it originated, particularly in Davao region and two of its founders, Crispin Lanorias and Cesar Ledesma, are again active in the recent party activities. The party with the guidance of the senior members and its new and young idealistic and nationalistic members is hoping it will once again rise to be the biggest political party in the Philippines.
Party leaders
- Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, Jr. - Former Senate President from Cagayan de Oro - Chairman of the Party
- Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III - Current Senator of the Philippines - President of the Party
- Ismael Sueno - Former governor of South Cotabato
Other notable members
- Rodrigo R. Duterte - Davao City Mayor (also a member of Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod based in Davao City)
- Allan L. Rellon - Tagum City mayor
