A ranking official of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) on Thursday, August 12 questioned Senator Manny Pacquiao’s alleged move to turn his regional political party, the People’s Champ Movement (PCM) to a national one, saying this could lead to his expulsion from the ruling political party.
According to Melvin Matibag, who was elected as PDP-Laban’s secretary general during an assembly organized by the Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, they got wind of reports Pacquiao is allegedly converting the PCM to a national political party.
If true, he said this could be a major ground for his expulsion from PDP-Laban.
“...Pacquiao's latest punch has virtually created for himself a rabbit hole - one that could lead to his expulsion from PDP-Laban,” Matibag said in a statement.
He said minutes of the PCM’s organizational meeting, which has been circulating in various social media platforms, showed the PCM Central Committee members led by its president, the senator himself, together with its Executive Vice President Rogelio D. Pacquiao, Secretary General Raul C. Martinez, Treasurer Reynaldo F. Constantino, Auditor Victor James B. Yap were in attendance.
Matibag said the meeting reportedly took place on December 20, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the Pacquiao Compound, NLSA Road, Lagao, General Santos City.
Citing these reports, Matibag said the PCM amended its constitution and by-laws (CBL) to serve as "national party,” this time with Lorelie G. Pacquiao of Labangal, General Santos City as President, and Danny A. Martinez as Executive Vice President.
“The Minutes of the Meeting also showed that aside from the reorganization of the PCM, also included in the agenda of the December 2020 Meeting were the amendment of the CBL as National Political Party, adoption and ratification of the amended CBL as a National Political `party, and election of officers, among other matters,” he said.
Pacquiao founded the PCM in 2009 as a regional political party particularly in the provinces of General Santos and Sarangani where he hails from.
The party is said to be closely affiliated with PDP-Laban and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Pacquiao, who is said to be gearing for the presidential race in the upcoming May 2022 national elections, has since been at odds with President Duterte who has sought his ouster as president of the PDP-Laban.
The PDP-Laban has drafted a resolution endorsing Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and Duterte as the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidate in next year’s polls.