The camp of Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao on Sunday dismissed reports of President Duterte directing Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to organize, convene and preside over the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban council meeting this Monday.
This was after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque affirmed that Cusi, as vice chairman of the ruling political party, has been tasked by Duterte, who is the party chairman, to conduct a National Council Assembly to assess the party’s stand, five months before the deadline of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections.
Ron Munsayac, PDP-Laban Executive Director, said Cusi has no authority to call for a council meeting.
“With all due respect to the Presidential Spokesperson, the PDP-Laban has its Constitution and by-laws for a reason. It's very clear that ONLY the Chairman (President Duterte) in coordination with the Party President (Manny Pacquiao) can call on the Party's National Council and/or Assembly,” Munsayac told reporters when sought to comment on the issue.
“Also, if this purported council meeting is sanctioned by our Chairman, how come we have not received any formal communication from the Chairman/President Duterte, only an announcement from his Spokesperson who isn't even a party-mate?” he added.
According to Munsayac, Pacquiao, who is PDP-Laban acting national president, will ask Duterte to formally to discuss the agenda for the “legitimate council meeting.”
"Let us follow the proper process. Senator Manny Pacquiao will request for a meeting with Chairman/President Duterte so the two party leaders can discuss and set the agenda for the legitimate national council meeting to be set a month before the filing of candidacies, or earlier if the Chairman wishes,” he added.
Munsayac, however, said he finds it unfortunate that politics is disrupting the government’s programs to combat the pandemic, which they said is a much-needed activity.
“(It’s) so unfortunate that in the midst of the pandemic, politics is capturing the center stage. All our God-given energies should be directed to ensure that the country can still be great even after this crisis,” he added.
Pacquiao had earlier “strongly advised” members of the PDP-Laban to ignore Cusi’s invitation to participate in the national assembly.
In a memorandum circular signed by the senator, Pacquiao said the “invitation letter is not sanctioned by Authorized National Council officials and violates Sectioin 4 and Section 5, Article XVI, Constitution of the PDP-Laban.”
Pacquiao, in the memorandum, stressed that any call for a national council should only be approved both by Pacquiao and the party chairman.
The neophyte senator earlier warned Cusi not to “divide” the party after the latter reportedly went around the country to consult party mates to support a resolution urging the incumbent President to run for vice president in the upcoming May 2022 elections.