Teves tries to move for adjournment of PDP-Laban meeting, says it was not coordinated

Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves on Monday tried to move for the adjournment of the PDP-Laban first national council meeting, saying it was not coordinated with Senator Manny Pacquiao, the party's acting president.

During the start of the meeting held in Cebu, Teves, who attended via Zoom, can be heard raising a point of order but it took a while since he was recognized.

Teves, who claimed he was being muted, expressed dismay as he felt bypassed about the meeting.

"I feel very disappointed, I am even angered and I feel taken for granted for being bypassed because Article 16, Section 6 says that the secretary general shall serve written notice," Teves said.

"I am the secretary general of the PDP-Laban party, buhay pa ako, hindi naman ako incapacitated, hindi ko maintindihan bakit hindi ako ang pinapirma sa sulat kung hindi ang kaibigan nating si Melvin (Deputy Sec-Gen Melvin Matibag)," he added.

(I'm still alive. I'm not incapacitated. I don't understand why I'm not the one who signed the letter but Deputy Sec. Gen. Melvin Matibag)

He also claimed that the meeting was not coordinated with Pacquiao, thus it has to be adjourned.

"Article 16 Section 4... that the chairman of the national council should have the following functions, one is to coordinate with the president on the agenda of the national council meetings. I don't think there was prior coordination with the president of the party. On that note, I move that in the meantime, this meeting be adjourned," Teves said.

Eastern Samar governor Ben Evardone opposed Teves' move and said the meeting was properly convened based on the party's rules.

Meanwhile, PDP-Laban vice president for external affairs Raul Lambino pointed out that the national chairman has authorized the vice chairman to call for the said meeting.

He also explained that the position of secretary general has since been vacant.

"Since the resignation of then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez as secretary general of the party, that position remains vacant. The only authority that can appoint or elect national party officials would be the national party assembly and therefore as far as the decision of the PDP-Laban is concerned, that position is vacant up to now," Lambino said.

Matibag was then formally appointed as acting secretary general of the party after Teves raised his points.

Pacquiao, in a memorandum dated May 25, had called on party members to skip the national assembly called by the party vice-chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as he claimed it was a violation to the party's constitution.

However, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said over the weekend that it was President Rodrigo Duterte, chairman of the party, who had directed Cusi to "organize, convene and preside" over the party's council meeting.

Secretary general denies ‘uncoordinated’ meeting

In a press conference after the national assembly in Cebu, Melvin Matibag, who was formally appointed as secretary general of PDP Laban, explained that there was already a copy of a memorandum from Duterte "directing Secretary Cusi to call for a national meeting" which was dated May 17.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque earlier confirmed that Duterte tasked Cusi to convene and organize the party council meeting.

He also announced that they sent a notice to Senator Koko Pimentel and Pacquiao on May 19 regarding their call for a national council meeting. Days after, Matibag said they started sending invites to all party members.

"Nandoon din ang agenda, hindi sila nag respond... Hindi totoo na walang coordination," said Matibag.

(We placed the agenda and they did not respond. It's not true that there was no coordination.)

In addition, Matibag explained that Cusi is acting under the orders of Duterte, which is "allowable" especially as Duterte is "busy addressing the nation" during the pandemic. --With a report from Consuelo Marquez/KBK, GMA News