Duterte recognizes Cusi leadership
MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte recognizes the leadership of PDP-Laban vice chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who has been expelled from the ruling party by a faction led by its acting president Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Malacañang said yesterday.
“All I can say is he (Duterte) recognizes the leadership of Secretary Cusi and that is why he will attend the party special meeting on July 17,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque confirmed.?Asked whether Duterte recognizes the expulsion of Cusi and other party officials, Roque replied: “Maybe no because the President plans to attend the PDP-Laban meeting on July 17 in Clark.”
Roque reiterated that the President wants to resolve all existing disputes within the party legally.
Power grab
The infighting in the ruling PDP-Laban is caused by a simple and naked attempt at a power grab by a group of disloyal and “non-original” members, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said yesterday.
“If ever there are changes (in the party), that is a power grab. Is that a legitimate expression of the party? They will be the one forcing that, they will be forcing through (their agenda),” he said.
When asked who was behind the power grab, he pointed to Cusi. “He’s the brains of these actions,” Pimentel said, adding those behind the attempts to wrest control of PDP-Laban are not “genuine” members of the party.
“Why are they (Cusi) doing this? To propagate the party even after we’re gone or is this a political maneuver to support a certain presidential candidate who may be an outsider, and if (that candidate) wins, of course they’ll jump ship or swallow up PDP-Laban because they’ve gotten suddenly big if their candidate wins,” Pimentel said in Filipino. – Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero
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