Senate President Koko Pimentel. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) president, has shrugged off the ongoing assembly of some members supposedly to elect new leaders of the party.
“Don’t believe them and just enjoy their show,” Pimentel said in a text message to reporters on Friday.
The senator earlier disowned the group and their event, saying they “have no authority to represent” the party, and are therefore “usurpers of party authority,” who should be “dealt with in accordance with the existing election and criminal laws and party rules.”
At a national assembly of the National Capital Region (NCR) chapter of PDP-Laban, Willy Talag, president of PDP-Laban Makati City council and chair of the NCR membership committee, said the current leaders of the party have “committed violations,” such as conducting mass oath-taking of members “without proper basic seminar” and swearing-in of officials “involved in illegal drugs.”
While they would elect new officers to replace Pimentel and secretary- general Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, the faction said they would continue to support President Duterte.
Talag, who has been a party member for four years and is vying for the secretary-general position, also denied that they are illegitimate members, saying that their assembly and election are mandated under the party’s by-laws.
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