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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Cusi: No PDP-Laban power grab; Nene Pimentel's legacy recognized by Duterte

Cusi: No PDP-Laban power grab; Nene Pimentel's legacy recognized by Duterte

Published Jul 13, 2021 11:37 am

There is no ongoing power grab within the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP)-Laban, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said on Tuesday, July 13.

Cusi, party vice chairman, was referring to Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III’s accusation he is the brains behind the supposed “power grab” within the ruling political party.

“There will be no power grab because ang power grab, yung ayaw ng mga miyembro kinuha mo (is when you take it against the will of the members). But here the members ...it’s the body that is deciding. So how can there be a power grab?” Cusi pointed out in an interview on ANC Headstart.

At the same time, Cusi said the PDP-Laban members agree that there is only one party, and that is the party is founded by the senator’s father—the late Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr.

“There’s only one PDP-Laban and that is the PDP that is founded by the late Sen. Nene Pimentel,” Cusi went on.

“Sen. Koko Pimentel was the president of the party. He should have taken care of the party very well to protect the legacy of his father,” he pointed out.

Pimentel is now the executive vice chairman of the party and earlier relinquished his post to Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who is now the acting president of PDP-Laban.

Cusi said even President Duterte recognizes the legacy of Pimentel’s father.

“We recognize the legacy of his father, the late Nene Pimentel and we want to preserve that. And we are not going to take it away from him...Nobody is taking over the party...the party will remain whether he is the one leading or another person is leading,” the Cabinet official stressed.

“My only appeal to them (Pimentel and Pacquiao) is, join the national council and assembly meeting. Present your issues. That is the venue where we can resolve the and achieve unity,” he pointed out.

Cusi also said the greatest factor that is keeping the PDP-Laban party strong and relevant is President Duterte.

“Siya po yun (He’s the one). We recognize that if President Duterte leaves the party, the PDP will be gone because wala na pong naniniwala ng leadership na katulad ni Pangulo kung mawawala si Pangulo sa PDP (because no one believes there is another kind of leadership that the President can deliver if he leaves the party),” he said.

“The President has high respect also for the late Nene Pimentel and he recognized his effort and is looking at the current problem. The President said he hoped this (infighting) is not happening in PDP because PDP-Laban is a principled party. Kaya lang nawawala ang prinsipyo, kapat ganito ang behavior ng mga kasama natin (We are losing principles if our members have these kind of behavior),” he lamented.

“This prob can be resolved by them joining the meeting. Join the meeting, join the national assembly, present your case. Wala kaming agenda (we have no agenda). There is no truth that we are preparing the party for an outsider. There is no truth that there is a preference for a national candidate. We know the process,” added Cusi.

“But I must accept that the party membership would like President Duterte to run for vice president (in the May 2022 elections) to ensure continuity of the programs he began. Ayaw natin masayang yung leadership ni Pangulong Duterte. Yun lang po hinahabol ng PDP-Laban (We don’t want the leadership of the President to go to waste. That’s the only thing the PDP-Laban wants),” he reiterated.

Related Tags

Nene Pimentel Alfonso Cusi May 2022 elections PH politics koko pimentel DUTERTE PDP-Laban
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