Cusi: PDP-Laban didn’t discuss if Sara will be party’s presidential candidate

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) vice-chairman, on Wednesday said that the ruling party did not discuss the possibility of tapping Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to be its standard bearer in the 2022 national elections.

“Wala pong nangyari na sinasabi na si Mayor Inday Sara to be the president,” Cusi said during the virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(We didn’t discuss anything about Mayor Sara being our presidential candidate.)

“We are quiet about that. Ang sinabi lang po namin [what we talked about] is to urge the President [Rodrigo Duterte] to run as vice president and let him decide kung sino ang kasamang pangulo,” he added.

During Monday's national assembly, the PDP-Laban council suggested holding another meeting on July 16. They also suggested having a national assembly on July 17 for electing their party officers.

“Kailangan ng national assembly to choose sino ang magiging kandidato ng ating partido,” Cusi said.

(A national assembly is needed to choose who will be the party’s candidate for president.)

However, the schedule is still subject to the approval of PDP-Laban chairman President Rodrigo Duterte.

Before the national assembly, Senator Manny Pacquiao issued a memorandum on May 25, advising his party mates to ignore Cusi’ invitation to attend the meeting.

The senator argued that the assembly violated the party's constitution.

However, Cusi still pushed through with the national assembly despite calls from a "minority" of party mates to ignore the event.

Over the weekend, presidential spokesman Harry Roque bared that it was Duterte who ordered Cusi to preside and organize the meeting.

Pacquiao earlier called out Cusi, telling him not to "poison" the minds of their party members as politics should not be their priority right now.

The senator said Cusi should prioritize helping the public and refrain from discussing politics, adding that Cusi should not cause division among PDP-Laban members.

In his defense, Cusi said the upcoming elections was not the only matter discussed during the meeting of PDP-Laban as he called for “unity” among the party’s members to help the government in addressing the COVID-19 situation and rally them to support the administration’s programs, particularly its socioeconomic agenda.—AOL, GMA News