Munsayac says Duterte was 'overstaying' as PDP-Laban chairman

President Rodrigo Duterte has been "overstaying" in his post as PDP-Laban chairman, prompting the faction led by Senator Manny Pacquiao to replace him with Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, party executive director Ron Munsayac said Monday.

In a virtual interview with reporters, Munsayac said based on party rules, officials have to stay for a maximum of two years. Aside from Duterte, he said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, leader of the other PDP-Laban faction, is also overstaying as party vice chairman.

"First, overstaying na po si chairman Duterte sa kanyang position, and si vice chairman Cusi diyan, kasi sila po ay in-appoint lamang ng liderato ng PDP-Laban noong 2016. Klarong-klaro po na ang party position ay maximum of two years lamang, so overstaying na po sila sa position," Munsayac said.

(Chairman Duterte is already overstaying in PDP-Laban, as well as vice chairman Cusi. They were appointed as leaders in 2016 and they only have a maximum of two years to stay in their positions.)

"Noong nag-meeting po ang national council kahapon, napagdesisyunan po na lahat ng mga kapartido namin na, I think, oras na po magkaroon ng bagong leadership ng PDP-Laban. Hindi naman natin matatanggi na may krisis ang PDP-Laban ngayon," he added.

(When we had a national council meeting yesterday, we decided that it's time to have new leaders for PDP-Laban. We all know that there's a crisis within the party right now.)

On Sunday, the Pacquiao-led PDP-Laban faction elected Pimentel as the new party chairman, replacing Duterte, following a  national council meeting. It was attended by 11 national officers, seven committee chairmen and 34 regional presidents and secretary generals, Munsayac said.

A member of the other faction, however, branded the move as a "comedy" and called the other faction as “pretenders and attention seekers."

"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," said PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag of the Cusi faction.

GMA News Online reached Matibag for comment regarding Munsayac's latest remarks but he has yet to reply as of posting time.

'Save' the party

Munsayac also said replacing Duterte as party chairman was actually a move to save it from the crisis it has been experiencing. He noted that the problems and issues in the party are happening under Duterte's leadership.

"Ngayon po na nagkakaproblema, mayroong krisis sa partido, hindi na po namin siguro pababayaan pa 'yan and ngayon we are approaching 'yung 2022 elections, kung status quo pa rin kami baka sa pansitan kami pulutin so the national council members, upon consultation sa aming partymates sa baba had to make a decisive move talaga," Munsayac said.

(There's a crisis within the party. We will not let that happen given that the 2022 election is already approaching. So the national council members agreed to make a decisive move.)

"We have to make an executive decision to save the party kasi po kung tuloy-tuloy na ganito, kawawa naman po ang PDP-Laban na pinaghirapan namin for 40 years," he added.

(We have to make an executive decision to save the party. It's pitiful for the PDP-Laban, which we have worked hard for in the last 40 years.)

The two PDP-Laban factions have been trying to wrest control of the party ahead of the 2022 elections by unilaterally electing their own members to leading party roles.

The faction supported by Cusi and Duterte recently booted out Pacquiao as party president, but Pacquiao has refused to step down.  —KBK, GMA News