On leave PDP exec: Party humanitarian arm must remain apolitical

An official of the PDP-Laban Alfonso Cusi wing on Tuesday underscored that PDP Cares should remain apolitical.

During a press conference, National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Commissioner Reymar Mansilungan, who is currently on leave from the party, said that Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel mentioned in 2018 that PDP Cares, the political party's humanitarian arm, would never be involved in politics.

Mansilungan, however, raised that PDP Cares had become a party-list and Pimentel's wife, Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, was running as its first nominee for Eleksyon 2022.

"In 2018, kung titingnan niyo po ‘yung diyaryo, specifically ‘yun pong Inquirer, noon pong publication ng August 15, 2018, nag-celebrate po ang PDP Cares ng first anniversary... ibig sabihin ‘yung PDP Cares ay natatag noong 2017, sometime in August 2017 although wala po siyang official na registration sa SEC, pero nag-celebrate siya noong 2018, August 15 ang first anniversary niya,” Mansilungan recalled.

"Kung titingnan niyo po ngayon ang record, 'yun pong PDP Cares ay ni-register nila Senator Koko Pimentel as a foundation, ang registration po ay September 27, 2018. Ibig sabihin, pagkatapos ng first anniversary ng PDP Cares noong August 15, 2018, kung saan pinangako ni Senator Koko Pimentel na hindi magiging political 'yung PDP Cares, it will remain humanitarian arm of PDP Laban, nag-register po sila. Pagkatapos ngayon tumatakbo po 'yung PDP Cares as party list at ang unang-una pong nominee ay 'yung asawa, kabiyak, Kathrina Yu-Pimentel," he added.

Mansilungan clarified that he had no problem with Yu-Pimentel running as a lawmaker, but he argued that the latter should not use PDP Cares as her party-list.

"I have nothing against Mrs. Pimentel, sa palagay ko qualified naman siya maging congresswoman. Ang problema 'yung ginamit po niya ay 'yung humanitarian arm ng partido which is what is wrong," he said.

Mansilungad mentioned that when he was still active in the party, he had been tasked to file a petition for cancellation of the accreditation of PDP Cares as a party-list.

"Ngayon po, I'm not saying I'm pursuing it because I'm prohibited again, I don't know if the party will pursue with the petition for cancellation of the accreditation of PDP-Laban Cares," he said.

Asked for comment, Pimentel said: "Who is he to prevent or criticize a group of people who have been doing humanitarian work for years for the underprivileged and who themselves have suffered from severe flooding and other calamities from forming their own partylist organization and naming it PDP CARES? PDP because they believe that ang 'Pilipino Dapat Paglingkuran.'"

Two factions of the PDP-Laban are vying for recognition before the Commission on Elections—that of Cusi and Duterte, and the other of Pimentel and presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao. — DVM, GMA News