The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will be objective in resolving the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) leadership issue.
"We don't care about their politics. For us, it is what is right," Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said in a press briefing Monday, Aug. 23.
"We will decide depending on the law, constitution, and by-laws of the party," he added.
Abas, meantime, compared the battle between the two camps of PDP-Laban to a boxing match.
"This will be like a boxing match. A heavyweight fight between (Manny) Pacquiao and (Alfonso) Cusi," he said.
"This will be bloody," Abas added.
The camps of Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, and Senator Manny Pacquiao, who are both claiming to be the legitimate leaders of the political party, earlier submitted their Sworn Information Update Statement (SIUS) with the Comelec for the May 2022 polls.
The SIUS is a requirement of the Comelec to every registered political parties containing the full name of the party, headquarters address, list of current officials, list of elected members, and list of members, among others.
Before the 2019 polls, the Comelec also received two sets of SIUS and two sets of List of Authorized Signatories from Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and a certain Rogelio Garcia. Both claimed to be the legitimate party officers of PDP-Laban.
After due notice and hearing, the Comelec later declared the Pimentel group as the legitimate officials of PDP-Laban.