Cusi: Changes in Eleksyon 2022 lineup possible even during COC filing

The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is not ruling out the possibility of making changes to its lineup of candidates for the May 2022 elections.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the party’s national convention on Wednesday, Cusi said the changes could occur even during the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) scheduled for October 1 to 8.

“As far as the listing [is concerned], it’s final but it can change before the filing ends,” said Cusi, president of PDP-Laban.

The Cusi faction has endorsed President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go to be its vice presidential and presidential candidates, respectively.

Duterte has accepted the endorsement, but according to Malacañang, this was under the perception that his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, will not run for president next year.

Go, however, declined the endorsement, saying he was not interested in the presidency. He later admitted that  he had offered himself

“I cannot preempt the actions or the reactions tomorrow of Senator Bong Go. [But] there are presidentiables that are available in our pool,” Cusi said.

The Cusi faction is also eyeing to field 12 candidates — all members of PDP-Laban — for senator.

“Although some of our members have been floating some names, all of those will be confirmed tomorrow,” Cusi said.

Up to 400 people are expected to be physically present at the party’s convention in San Fernando, Pampanga, while the rest of its members will be monitoring the proceedings online.

Only members who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to attend physically during the convention. They must also submit the results of their RT-PCR test taken 48 hours prior to the event. On-site antigen testing shall also be conducted.

“I would like to assure that the event tomorrow will not be a superspreader event,” said Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, PDP-Laban chairperson for public information.

Cusi said the party was supposed to hold the convention in Bulacan but it had to transfer the venue since the province was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine.

Pampanga is under modified general community quarantine, the least stringent form of quarantine. --KBK, GMA News