With the elections still several months away, President Duterte has called on the ruling PDP-Laban party to focus on improving the welfare of the people rather than advancing personal interests.
The President issued the appeal after a change of leadership in the administration party during the national assembly in Clark, Pampanga Saturday, July 17.
The new PDP-Laban officers, led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as president, took their oath before Duterte, the chairman of the party, during the meeting.
"Let us not be blinded by our own ambitions," Duterte told his party officials and members. "Let us not allow this party to be used to advance personal interests," he added.
While he recognized the PDP-Laban party remained "strong as ever," the President stressed the importance of "genuine unity and camaraderie" in attaining the group's objectives.
He urged the party officials and members to stay focused on the mission of uplifting the quality of life of the Filipino people, especially as the nation deals with the impact of the pandemic.
"Considering the magnitude of the responsibility that awaits the next batch of the elected officials in 2022 elections, we must remain focused on how to continue the reforms that we have instituted in the last five years," he said.
Duterte also told his party mates never lose sight of the founding principles upon which the party was built on. "Let us never forget that our end goal is always the improved welfare of the Filipino people," he said.
The President's appeal came even after criticizing Senator Aquilino Pimentel III for supposedly starting the "ruckus" within the party.
Duterte alleged that Pimentel, son of the party's founder the late Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., made a mistake when Sen. Manny Pacquiao was designated as acting president of the party, instead of being elected under the group's rules. Pacquiao has been replaced by Cusi as party president during the Clark assembly.
Duterte also belittled Pimentel as PDP-Laban stalwart, saying while the party was a "work of love" by his father, the senator supposedly erred in his action.
He added that PDP-Laban party was a "father and son" party and only grew after he ran for the presidency in 2016.
"May I just remind Koko na itong party-ng PDP (that PDP party) was asleep for a 100 years. It only woke up during the election and when I ran for the presidency under the ticket," he said.
"It was a father and son party, period. Wala nang iba (Nothing else) and they are not even recognized in Cagayan de Oro City," he said.
Mincing no words with Pimentel, Duterte also claimed that the senator's poll chances would be slim even if he runs for a barangay post in his hometown.
"I am not trying to throw an insult pero ‘yan ang totoo talaga. They cannot win. Magtakbo ‘yang si Koko maski barangay captain, talo ‘yan sa kanila (If Koko runs even as barangay captain, he will lose in his area)," he said.