Taob ang paksyon nina Senador Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III at Manny Pacquiao, matapos magpasya ang Commission on Elections na kilalanin ang paksyon ni Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi bilang lehitimong partido ng PDP-Laban.

Sa resolusyon, inihayag ng Comelec Special Second Division na, "Chairman (President Rodrigo) Duterte's chairmanship is an undisputed and well-settled fact in the aforementioned dates."

"The fact that he presided over the election of the new sets of party officers and committee chairpersons validates the entire process, making the above-enumerated officers as the duly elected officers of PDP-Laban," patuloy nito.

Una rito, idineklara ng Comelec na ang PDP-Laban ang dominant majority party sa gaganaping May 9 elections.

Batay sa Resolution 10787 na inilabas nitong Miyerkules, ang mga poll watcher ng dominant majority at dominant minority parties, ang bibigyan ng prayoridad sa canvassing.

Nabiyak ang PDP-Laban sa grupo nina Cusi at Pimentel-Pacquiao, dahil sa hindi pagkakasundo sa desisyon kaugnay sa Eleksyon 2022.

Humantong ito sa paghahain ng petisyon sa Comelec upang magpasya kung kaninong grupo ang kikilalaning lehitimong PDP-Laban.

Sinabi ni Pimentel na maghahain sila ng mosyon sa Comelec division upang irekonsidera nito ang naging pasya sa pagkilala sa grupo ni Cusi.

“We will raise again the following points and we hope the Comelec en banc will look at these issues with eyes wide open: (1) the petition was fatally defective - it was filed for and on behalf of a political party (which is not a human being) without any Board Resolution authorizing its filing!” ayon sa senador.

“Ang luwag naman ng Comelec kay Sec. Cusi pagdating sa requirements! Sec. Cusi and company had no authority to file the Petition and yet it was entertained by Comelec? What happened to all the requirements other petitioners before the Comelec are required to comply with? (2) the lawyer who signed didn’t even have updated MCLE requirement! Plus the OTHER ARGUMENTS RAISED IN OUR INITIAL COMMENT,” patuloy niya.

Samantala, pinuri naman ni Cusi ang pasya ng Comelec na tinawag niyang “wise decision declaring and recognizing the current officers and members as the real PDP Laban party under the chairmanship of President Duterte.”

“Without a doubt, we at PDP Laban are reinvigorated to continue the programs, services and advocacies of President Duterte from this day until the next term. Tuloy natin ang Pagbabago!” ani Cusi sa inilabas na pahayag.

Hinikayat din ng kalihim si Pimentel na makipag-usap sa kanila.

“We invite Sen. Koko Pimentel to meet with us. We invite him to take a step back and to not be emotional. Let us unite for the sake of PDP Laban. Let us make the party stronger than ever,” ayon kay Cusi.—FRJ, GMA News