The camp of Senator Manny Pacquiao has elected Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III as the new chairman of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), removing President Duterte as the party chairman.
Ronwald Munsayac, PDP-Laban’s national executive director and chairman of the Public Information Committee, on Sunday confirmed that the Party’s National Council held a meeting led by Pimentel and the party’s president, Pacquiao, who is currently on a flight back to Manila from the United States.
Pacquiao is expected to arrive in Manila on Aug. 30, 2021.
Aside from electing Pimentel as chairman of the PDP-Laban, Munsayac said the national council also elected former Gov. Lutgardo Barbo as the party’s vice chairman.
According to Munsayac, the PDP-Laban convened its national council this afternoon, Sunday, August 29 at 2 p.m.
“The meeting was attended by our national and reginal officers and national committee chairmen led by Pacquiao,” the party official said.
Pacquiao’s camp has repeatedly rejected the legitimacy of the election of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as party president of the PDP-Laban, together with his allies that belong to the Cusi faction.
Pimentel said their camp is certain that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will recognize and rule in favor of their group.
Pacquiao, who is reportedly gearing up for a presidential run in the May 2022 elections, is expected to make announcements regarding his boxing and political plans soon.
Asked if this means Duterte has been ousted by the Pimentel wing, Munsayac denied this saying that they elected new party leaders since party positions within the PDP-Laban is only for a maximum of two years under their bylaws and constitution.
He said the National Council will also set the date for their national assembly which would be held in the second or third week of September.