The Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has formally endorsed the presidential bid of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday.
During a press conference together with the other PDP-Laban senatorial candidates, the Cusi-led party showed to the media a copy of Resolution No. 26, Series of 2022, expressing the group’s support for a Marcos’ presidency.
Marcos, Jr. is running in tandem with presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, which the Duterte-led political party has earlier endorsed. The younger Duterte is vying the vice presidential seat in the upcoming May 2022 elections.
“He is the candidate whose vision of governance is most aligned with the PDP-Laban’s 11-point agenda...To promote ‘Unity for Sustainability’ of socio-economic development and national progress,” the PDP-Laban resolution stated.
PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said the selection process of the party was conducted “professionally and gentlemanly.”
“Lahat naman po ng aming nakausap ay sinabihan namin bago kami nagkaroon po ng anunsyo ngayong araw na ito. Na ang napili po talaga ay si dating senador, magiging pangulo, Bongbong Marcos (All the people whom we talked to were informed before we made this formal announcement today. That the one chosen by the party is former senator, and future president, Bongbong Marcos),” Matibag told reporters during a press conference.
Cusi, who was also present at the press briefing said the faction’s endorsement does not automatically translate to the President’s support.
“Ito po ay hindi desisyon ng isang tao; ito po ay desisyon ng partido (This is not a decision of one person; this is a decision of the party),” Cusi stressed.
The Resolution also stated that Marcos is the candidate “whose platform is most aligned with the development program of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”
The resolution also stated that Marcos is the candidate “whose vision of governance is most aligned with PDP-Laban’s 11-point agenda.”
Asked to respond to Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr.’s criticism on their group’s latest move is proof of the Cusi group being “total strangers” to the ideals of the party, the Energy merely shrugged off the senator’s accusation.
“Hindi na natin papatulan yun... We are looking forward...kasi pagka lagi yung past ang ating iniisip...walang mangyayari sa atin (We will no longer respond to that. We are looking forward to the future. Because if we will always think of the past, nothing will happen to us),” Cusi said.
“Kung tulog tayo noon, eh di hanggang ngayon, tulog pa rin tayo. Syempre, kelangan naman eh umusad tayo (If we’ve been sleeping in the past, we’ll still be in the same state until now. But we need to move forward),” he further said.