President Duterte is bracing for a legal battle over the leadership of the ruling Partido Demoktraiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party among warring factions.
The President cautioned about the looming lawsuits arising from the intra-party dispute, saying Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is expected to "fight tooth and nail" to keep the party following the recent election of new officials. Duterte is currently chairman of the ruling party.
The administration party recently elected the President's ally Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as party president, replacing Senator Manny Pacquiao, during an assembly in Clark, Pampanga on July 17. Cusi's camp declared several top positions of the PDP-Laban party vacant and elected new officials.
Pimentel, the party's executive vice chairman, however dismissed the party assembly as unauthorized. He is the son of the late Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. who co-founded the PDP-Laban party.
"There's going to be a lot of suits far and wide in between now and in the election. Ano ako na mag --- they will fight tooth and nail dito sa ano, especially Koko. Ano talaga --- parang kanila talaga 'yan eh at totoo naman (The party is really theirs and it's the truth)," Duterte said following the election of new PDP-Laban officials.
Duterte, however, blamed Pimentel for allegedly starting the "ruckus" within the party when he let Pacquiao take over the party presidency despite the group's rules on elections. He also alleged that while the elder Pimentel initiated the party, his son supposedly did not manage the group well.
"It was the founding Pimentel, the old man who really 'yung ginawa niya ito (the old man who made this party). It's a work of love sa kanya. Pero ang problema, ang anak ang walang ano --- walang diskarte na tama (But the problem is the son did make the right move)," he said.
READ: Duterte: PDP-Laban party strong, united ‘until end of my term and beyond’
READ: Duterte offers to campaign for PDP-Laban bets in 2022, bring ‘sacks’ of money
Duterte also claimed that PDP-Laban party was "asleep for 100 years" and only "woke up" when he ran for president in 2016 under the party. He dismissed the PDP-Laban party as a mere "father-and-son party" that was not supposedly even recognized in Cagayan de Oro, the bailiwick of the Pimentel.
Pimentel has rejected the President's allegations, insisting his home province continued to recognize his father's legacy.
Despite the leadership squabble, the President is confident that the ruling party remained strong and united in consolidating ranks "until the end of my term and beyond." He also promised to campaign for the administration bets and offered to bring "sacks" of money in the campaign trail.
But for now, the President urged ruling party officials and members to remain focused on the mission to uplift the lives of Filipinos especially amid the challenges arising from the pandemic. He also advised his party mates “not to be blinded by our own ambitions" and not allow the party to be used to advance personal interests.
READ: Duterte to PDP-Laban: ‘Let’s not be blinded by our own ambitions’