Koko to Cusi: We won’t give up party

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will ultimately rule on the conflict within the ruling PDP-Laban, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said yesterday, as he vowed not to allow a takeover of the party by the faction of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Pimentel, former party president, said the gathering attended by President Duterte did not have the support of a majority of the 10,000 party members.

The Cusi-led faction – backed by President Duterte – concluded yesterday a two-day assembly in Clark, Pampanga where the removal of Sen. Manny as party president was announced. Pacquiao is in the US for his Aug.21 boxing match with American boxer Errol Spence.

In a Viber message, Pacquiao said he lamented the developments in the party as he accused the administration of engaging in divisive politics instead of addressing the pandemic.

In a radio interview, Pimentel said he had reminded Cusi of the process of holding such activities, as provided for in the party’s constitution.

“We tried to stop them but they seemed to be in a hurry. I reminded him (Cusi) of the things that should be done before meetings of such importance are held. It was hastily done, and this could mean it’s connected with the 2022 elections,” he said in Filipino over dwIZ.

“We can’t stop them anymore. But we will not surrender,” he added.

He said the Comelec may be able to resolve the party discord when both factions submit appropriate documents during the filing of certificates of candidacy and nomination from Oct. 1 to 8. The Comelec has set for Nov.15 the deadline for substitution of candidates.

“Maybe they (Pacquiao and Cusi) will meet there (at the Comelec), especially if a group enforces its belief that it has taken over a certain party,” Pimentel added.

Status quo

Pimentel maintained that Pacquiao’s group is keeping the leadership status quo.

“They (Pacquaio’s team) will just continue to act because they believe they have not been legitimately replaced. So they will comply with all the Comelec scheduled activities and documentary requirements,” he said.

“Sec. Cusi’s camp, I say they will also attempt to do something. Pacquiao’s group will just block them,” said Pimentel, a former party president and one of the writers of the party’s constitution.

Pimentel’s father and namesake was one of the founders of the PDP-Laban.

He also noted that the PDP-Laban members on Paquiao’s side were from the grassroots, while the followers of Cusi – numbering about 200 to 300 – were politicians, including appointees, who have no choice but to support the energy chief.

“Long-time members from the grassroots, who are not popular because they don’t run in elections but have been in the party for decades, should be consulted,” he said. “We cannot hear from the 10,000 members but we should hear from the chapters, there should be 10 members per chapter so at least we must hear from the 10,000 voices,” he added.

Pimentel said Cusi’s faction is apparently in a hurry, as it would eventually give the party to an outsider, despite Pacquiao’s having already expressed his intention to run for president. “Is there a political party that blinded its president?”

Cusi’s camp is reportedly eyeing an “outsider,” Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, as its standard bearer in 2022.

“Mark my word, we’ll know that in October and November. The filing of COCs is in October and you can still substitute, file substitution by Nov. 15. You can still keep your cards until Nov. 15. Just mark my word, my prediction is, all these activities in the PDP-Laban, its intention is to give the PDP-Laban to an outsider that they will support as president,” Pimentel said.

Backing from grassroots

In a Zoom assembly, thousands of “grassroots” PDP-Laban members from more than 100 PDP-Laban chapters nationwide denounced the Cusi-led “illegal” gathering in Clark and described the election of new officers as a farce, illegal and not sanctioned by the general membership.

Jovel Lopez, who is a PDP-Laban community leader in Bulacan and a party cadre since its founding in 1982, said he does not understand why newcomers and interlopers are now trying to wrest control of the party.

“We are really wondering why so many politicians have come forward to say they are PDP and we who are the original members have been thrown out. We can’t just allow these hangers-on to inflate the party we have built,” Lopez said.

Another grassroots leader, CDO City council president Marlo Tabac, stressed that Pacquiao has the full support of a majority of the PDP-Laban members.

“The Clark assembly is a farce. Many of those who attended were just hangers on and they are not even real members of PDP-Laban. Their political loyalty has never been with PDP-Laban so there’s really no doubt in my mind that they are out to destroy the party,” Tabac said.

“Let me remind them, however, that this was not the first time that people tried to bring down PDP-Laban but they failed. I can tell you now, they will fail again,” said Tabac.

“We are facing a challenge in our party today so the important thing is that we remain strong and we trust the leadership of our party under our president Sen. Manny Pacquiao. Let’s not worry because what we are really fighting for here is the voice of our chapter members all over the country,” Pimentel said at the same Zoom meeting.

“It’s saddening that the Delta variant has already reached the country and is now threatening to infect more Filipinos. Addressing this should be the priority of the government. Now if Cusi and the others think politics is more important – (bahala sila) then let them be,” Pacquiao said in Filipino. “In the end, only one question will have to be answered: who will the people follow?”