SC affirms Comelec recognition of Cusi group as legitimate PDP-Laban

The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) recognition of Alfonso Cusi and Melvin Matibag as the leaders of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban).

 In a 25-page decision promulgated in July, the SC En Banc dismissed the petition asking the Court to enjoin Comelec from enforcing its resolution, which recognized the Cusi-led faction as the official members of the party.

“Given the foregoing discourse, the Court finds no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Comelec in issuing the impugned resolution,” the SC said.

This is over the leadership row of the party between the Cusi-led group and the group of former Senator Koko Pimentel and Manny Pacquiao.

According to the SC, in 2021, Cusi endorsed a different presidential candidate after Pacquiao expressed his intention to run for president.

Due to this, the National Executive Committee asked Cusi to justify why he should not be expelled due to his actions.

Cusi then appointed Matibag as acting secretary general during a meeting in May 2021, with then chairperson former President Rodrigo Duterte in attendance.

For their part, the Committee expelled Cusi and Matibag. The SC said Pimentel was elected as acting chairperson.

In July 2021, the Cusi group also held a national assembly, which was attended by Duterte. Cusi was elected president while Duterte remained as chairperson.

Meanwhile, in their own national assembly, the Pimentel group proclaimed Pacquiao as PDP Laban’s presidential candidate.

In its ruling, the SC held that under the PDP Laban’s constitution, the vice-chairperson, who was Cusi at the time, may take over the chairperson’s duties in case of absence or incapacity.

It said former Duterte authorized Cusi to organize and lead the May meeting.

“Considering that the National Council meeting held on May 31, 2021 is valid, the resolutions passed and acts done by the Cusi-led faction during the said meeting, some of which led to the conduct of the July 16, 2021 National Council meeting and July 17, 2021 National Assembly, are likewise valid,” it said.

The SC also ruled that the expulsion of Cusi and Matibag and the appointment of Pimentel as chairperson were void as the committee did not have such powers under the party’s constitution.

In October 2023, Matibag resigned as Secretary-General of PDP Laban. –NB, GMA Integrated News