Comelec recognizes Cusi faction as legitimate PDP-Laban wing

The Commission on Elections resolved Friday to recognize the faction of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as the legitimate party wing of the ruling PDP-Laban.

In a resolution, the Comelec Special Second Division said that "Chairman (President Rodrigo) Duterte's chairmanship is an undisputed and well-settled fact in the aforementioned dates."

"The fact that he presided over the election of the new sets of party officers and committee chairpersons validates the entire process, making the above-enumerated officers as the duly elected officers of PDP-Laban," it said.

The poll body earlier named PDP-Laban as the dominant majority party for the May 9 elections.

Based on Resolution 10787 issued on Wednesday, the watchers of the dominant majority and dominant minority parties shall be given preference if the space in the canvassing or consolidation center is insufficient.

Two factions of the PDP-Laban had eyed for recognition before the Comelec — the one led by Cusi and the other by Senators Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and Manny Pacquiao.

The Cusi faction previously filed a petition before the Comelec declaring Pacquiao and Pimentel as “illegal representatives of the ruling party.”

Pimentel, in response, had called on the poll body to dismiss the said petition, calling the other faction as “usurpers."

MR eyed

Reacting to the Comelec division's decision, Pimentel, a party stalwart, said they will file a motion for reconsideration to appeal the decision. He noted that the decision is “not immediately executory.”

“We will raise again the following points and we hope the Comelec en banc will look at these issues with eyes wide open: (1) the petition was fatally defective - it was filed for and on behalf of a political party (which is not a human being) without any Board Resolution authorizing its filing!” Pimentel said.

“Ang luwag naman ng Comelec kay Sec. Cusi pagdating sa requirements! Sec. Cusi and company had no authority to file the Petition and yet it was entertained by Comelec? What happened to all the requirements other petitioners before the Comelec are required to comply with? (2) the lawyer who signed didn’t even have updated MCLE requirement! Plus the OTHER ARGUMENTS RAISED IN OUR INITIAL COMMENT.” the senator added.

Pimentel said the poll body needs to explain why they “referred the fatally defective petition to a division without even informing us, as we are a party to the case.”

According to Pimentel, only legitimate PDP-Laban members should be allowed to resolve this issue.

“The 'padding' of the membership by outsiders and complete strangers to the party should not be allowed,” Pimentel said. 

Pimentel also questioned the timing of the release of Comelec’s decision, saying it could be used to boost the candidacy of the presidential aspirant being backed by the Cusi faction.

“Pang-boost sa kandidatura ng presidential endorsed by the Cusi group using the PDP-Laban name but who is the total anti-thesis of what the PDP Laban stands for,” he said in a message to Senate reporters.

“The true PDP-Laban members will never identify with him,” Pimentel added.

'Wise decision'

Cusi lauded the Comelec “for their wise decision declaring and recognizing the current officers and members as the real PDP Laban party under the chairmanship of President Duterte.”

“Without a doubt, we at PDP Laban are reinvigorated to continue the programs, services and advocacies of President Duterte from this day until the next term. Tuloy natin ang Pagbabago!” Cusi said in a press release.

Cusi also called on Pimentel to meet with them and not to be emotional about the matter.

“We invite Sen. Koko Pimentel to meet with us. We invite him to take a step back and to not be emotional. Let us unite for the sake of PDP Laban. Let us make the party stronger than ever,” Pimentel said.

“We are asking him to stop issuing inflammatory statements. We have worked together in the past; we can work together again for the future,” he added.

Cusi also said they are very grateful for the timely decision of the Comelec. —AOL/KBK, GMA News