The Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) Senator Manny Pacquiao’s wing has approved a resolution honoring former Senate President Aquilino “Nene" Pimentel, Jr. one of the main founders of the political party, during their 11th National Assembly.
Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, in his opening remarks during the gathering 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.
Also in his speech, Pimentel also hit back at the camp of Cusi for “hijacking” the PDP-Laban’s “vehicle” and called them “swapang” or greedy.
“Ang dami na nilang sasakyan. Napakasakim at swapang naman nila! (They already have so many vehicles. They are so greedy and selfish),” he said, eliciting cheers from the participants.
“Hindi po natin papayagan ang pag-hijack ng ating Partido. Tayong lahat, isa lang Partido natin eh. Yung kabila patalon-talon ng Partido (We will not allow our party to be hijacked. We only have one party. The other party is just party hopping). If it’s convenient for them, if no longer convenient, they will destroy,” he pointed out.
Pimentel and Pacquiao has since questioned the legitimacy of the faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi which is endorsing Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidate in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Cusi’s camp has also filed a petition asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare the camp of both senators as illegitimate representatives of the PDP-Laban.
However, Pimentel and Pacquiao both said they are confident that the poll body will recognize the authentic and rightful members and officials of the party in the end.
The party members are expected to announce their participation in the upcoming May 2022 national elections, and nominate and proclaim their presidential candidate for next year’s polls later in the day.