The Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) led by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Sunday, Sept. 18 officially endorsed the presidential bid of Philippine boxing icon and Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao for the May 2022 national elecitons.
Pacquiao, in turn, formally accepted his nomination as the ruling political party’s presidential bet in next year’s polls.
“Yes, I accept,” Pacquiao after being nominated during the 11th National Assembly of the party.
“I am a fighter. Wala akong laban na inaatrasan. Ang Manny Pacquiao na kilala nyo ay walang pinag-iba sa kasama ninyo laban sa kahirapan at katiwalian (I never back down from a fight. The Manny Pacquiao you know is no different from the one who fights against poverty and corruption),” he said.
Pacquiao has since said he is open to running for president. However, the PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is endorsing the tandem of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and President Rodrigo Duterte.
In the same assembly, Pimentel insisted they are the legitimate representatives of the PDP-Laban and will fight “hijackers” of their party.
Cusi’s wing had earlier filed a petition asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare Pimentel and Pacquiao as illegitimate party members.
But Pimentel said their current national assembly is “constitutionally-protected” and is confident that the poll body will recognize their group as the legitimate party of the PDP-Laban.
The PDP-Laban also approved a resolution honoring former Senate President Aquilino “Tatay Nene" Pimentel Jr., one of the main founders of the political party, during the national assembly.
In his opening remarks attended by 10,000 PDP-Laban grassroots members from 81 provinces, national council, committee chairmanship and chartered members, stressed the importance of honoring the ruling political party’s founder.
“Today, we will honor our party founder, Senate President Tatay Nene Pimentel. Here in PDP-Laban, we always give credit to whom credit is due,” Pimentel said in his speech, during the hybrid assembly.
“Today, we will formally fight back against the hijackers. We will formally declare as correct what we have been doing all along. Ignoring them, but resisting them. Lalaban po tayo (We will fight back),” said Pimentel, son of the party founder.
Pacquiao and Pimentel had a falling out with Duterte after Pacquiao exposed allegations of corruption within his administration.