PDP-Laban officer says rift within group won't divide people's votes

An officer of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Sunday said the conflict within the group will not divide the votes of the public in Eleksyon 2022.

In an interview over Dobol B TV, Noel Felongco, chair of the PDP-Laban education committee, said he believes there is still unity within their party once the ongoing rift between Senator Manny Pacquiao's faction and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi's group is resolved.

"Hindi kami nababahala sa ganyang sitwasyon. Personally po, naniniwala ako sa unity in diversity. May isang proseso na pinagdadaanan ang partido. Sa katapusang ito, mas lalo pang mapalalakas ang partido, magkakaroon ng pagkakaisa," said Felongco, who is also the lead convener of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. He was asked if the disunity of PDP-Laban will divide the votes of their supporters.

(We are not alarmed. Personally, I believe in unity in diversity. We have a process and after this rift, our party will be stronger and there will be unity.)

Compliant with constitution

Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, in a separate interview on Dobol B TV, on Sunday said the national assembly held Saturday in Clark and led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is compliant with the party's constitution.

This despite the faction of Senator Manny Pacquiao and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III's position that the said assembly was against the party's by-laws. 

"Ang mahalaga kung ano mang mga hakbang, naaayon sa constitution ng by-laws ng partido. Kaya taliwas sa sinasabi ng paksyon ni Senator Pimentel at Senator Pacquiao, e naniniwala naman ang aming grupo na naaayon ang ginawa namin sa konstitusyon o by-laws ng partido," said Avisado, who is also a member of the PDP-Laban Council of Elders.

(What is important is that all moves in the party are in accordance with the constitution and by-laws of the party. Contrary to the position of Senator Pimentel and Senator Pacquiao's faction, we believe our group is following the constitution and by-laws of the party.)

However, amid the political squabble, Avisado said Pimentel and Pacquiao are still members of the party. He said Pimentel is also a member of the Council of Elders in the ruling party.

Aside from Avisado, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III is also a member of the PDP-Laban Council of Elders.

Avisado further revealed that there will be a national convention among PDP-Laban members in September amid the Pacquiao-led group's plan to organize a national assembly in the same month.

The political squabble within the party began after Pacquiao said P10 billion in government funds were lost to corruption.

President Rodrigo Duterte then said Pacquiao was punch-drunk when he made the allegation.

Despite Pacquiao faction's calls to ignore the "illegitimate" meeting of the Cusi-led group, Duterte personally led the oath-taking of the party's new officials on Saturday. 

Pacquiao was ousted as president, while Cusi assumed as his replacement.

 —KG, GMA News