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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte to PDP-Laban partymates: Maintain unity, prioritize Filipinos

Duterte to PDP-Laban partymates: Maintain unity, prioritize Filipinos

Published May 31, 2021 04:16 pm

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called on his partymates in the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) to maintain unity as they strengthen their alliance in preparation for the upcoming May 2022 elections.

In a pre-recorded message aired during the party’s national council meeting in Cebu, Duterte, the party chairman, rallied members of the PDP-Laban to “stand together and remain united, not by personal interest but by our principles and values as we chart the future of our party and the rest of the nation.”

The President also urged his partymates to stay true to their mission to prioritize the welfare of the Filipino people.

“Over the years, the PDP-Laban has revolutionized our country’s political landscape by pursuing genuine reforms and good governance at both the national and local levels. I thus, urge all my partymates to stay true to the party mission which has always been to prioritize the welfare of the people,” Duterte said in his message.

"As we continue to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to work together in pursuing the initiatives that will strengthen gains in good governance especially those that will foster lasting peace and progress for our nation," Duterte said.

The meeting comes a few days after Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, acting president of the party, issued a memorandum discouraging members of the party to ignore the invitation of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to attend the council meeting.

Pacquiao and his allies insisted Cusi’s invitation is unauthorized and against the party’s by-laws.

Cusi, however, still pushed through with the holding of the assembly.

During the meeting, House Deputy Speaker and Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves questioned the conduct of the event and moved for its adjournment.

However, Teves’ motion was rejected by the other members. Teves pointed out the party should have coordinated with Pacquiao.

But Governor Ben Evardone, who served as the moderator of the national assembly, argued that it is President Duterte who can call for a national council meeting as the party’s national chairman.

“The national chairman has authorized the vice chairman to call for this meeting and for this reason, I think this national council meeting is in order,” Evardone pointed out.

Also, during the meeting, the PDP-Laban formally elected Melvin Matibag as the interim secretary general of the party. The post was previously held by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who earlier resigned from the PDP-Laban after being ousted as the top leader of the House of Representatives.

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DUTERTE Manny Pacquiao National Council meeting PDP-Laban
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