PDP-Laban Pacquiao faction ousts Duterte, elects Pimentel as chairman

The PDP-Laban faction led by Senator Manny Pacquiao elected Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as party chairman, replacing President Rodrigo Duterte, the party's executive director Ron Munsayac said Sunday.

In a text message, Munsayac said the "original" PDP-Laban elected the new party members after it convened its national council on Sunday afternoon.

"The PDP LABAN National Council elected Sen. Koko Pimentel as its Chairman & former Gov. Lutgardo Barbo as Vice Chairman," said Munsayac in a text message to media.

Pacquiao's faction has a current rift with the faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

In July, Cusi's group ousted Pacquiao as PDP-Laban President. He was then replaced by Cusi. 

Duterte still chairman 

PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag of the Cusi faction called the recent development as a "comedy," adding that Pimentel, whose father is the founder of PDP-Laban, does not represent their party.

"Sen. Koko Pimentel has no position in the PDP Laban. He is irrelevant and he does not represent the party. His group [is composed of] pretenders and are attention seekers," the lawyer said in another text message.

Matibag added that Duterte remains as chairman of the ruling party.

"He (Duterte) remains to be so and will continue to be so," he said. —LBG, GMA News