PDP-Laban Cusi wing to critics: Let Comelec decide on petition to reopen COC filing
The camp of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Monday rejected insinuations that the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) headed by President Duterte is intending to delay or pursue a “no election” scenario on the day of the May 2022 elections.
In a statement, the PDP-Laban faction said it is only “exercising its rights under the election laws” and the public should allow the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to rule on the petition they earlier filed.
Cusi’s camp has filed the petition asking the Comelec to reopen the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) even though the deadline has already lapsed last October 8.
Melvin Matibag, secretary general of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing, said the party believes that the Comelec should reopen and allow the filing of COCs and should not proceed with the printing of the ballots for the 2022 polls while several cases are still pending before the body.
This has raised speculations among other lawmakers and presidential aspirants that the goal of the Duterte administration-backed party is to delay the May 2022 elections and extend Duterte’s term, a matter rejected by the PDP-Laban party.
“Let the Comelec rule on the petition based on legal arguments/merits. Let us not focus on naysayers dwelling on conjectures and name-calling,” the party said in a statement.
“The petition is based on a constitutional precept on the exercise of suffrage. And as a consequence, it is also imploring on the Comelec to resolve all issues before the ballots are printed,” the party also stated.
Cusi’s camp earlier fielded Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go as their respective presidential and vice presidential candidate.
However, Dela Rosa and Go later on dropped their respective bid, but Go filed a new COC and ran for president as a substitute candidate under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS). Later on, he also dropped this bid.
Meanwhile, the PDP-Laban wing headed by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, meanwhile, is supporting the presidential bid of Sen. Manny Pacquiao.