The group of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Sunday, August 29, thumbed down Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s election as the new chairman of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban).
Melvin Matibag, secretary general of the PDP-Laban party that is allied with Cusi, said President Duterte remains the party’s chairman.
“It’s a ‘comedy’,” Matibag said told reporters when sought to comment.
“Sen. Koko Pimentel has no position in the PDP Laban. He is irrelevant and he does not represent the party. His group are pretenders and are attention seekers,” Matibag added.
“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the PDP-Laban party Chairman. He remains to be so and will continue to be so,” he insisted.
The rift between the two camps started with the election of Sen. Manny Pacquiao as the party’s president.
Pimentel’s group is supporting Pacquiao’s possible presidential bid in the May 2022 national elections.
Cusi’s wing, on the other hand, is pushing for a Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and President Duterte tandem in next year’s polls.