The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is mulling the filing of criminal charges against those behind last week’s gathering of supposed party members who had elected a set of new party officers.
PDP-Laban President Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday said the party’s lawyer is already studying the matter.
“Pinag-aaralan na ng abugado kung may na violate na criminal law,” Pimentel said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer on Tuesday.
“Pero meron rin kaming civil cause of action kasi nasira ang pangalan ng partido, ginamit ng unauthorized, pwede kaming damages diyan,” Pimentel added.
Pimentel said the organizer of the event last Friday must have had a backer to merit the media’s attention.
According to Pimentel, the event would have been ignored by the media if there was no backer for it.
Pimentel also dismissed reports that there was already a change in the party’s leadership, saying that an election could not merely be done through a press conference.
“Wala po. Kasi ang pagbabago ng liderato sa political party lalo na ito ay ruling political party ng Republika natin, hindi naman yan nakukuha sa mag-presscon ka or mag-mobilze ka ng tao, i-pacover mo sa media tapos ikaw na ang presidente ng partido” said Pimentel.
On Friday, some members of PDP-Laban elected a new set of leaders including Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.
Rogelio Garcia was elected president, Abbin Dalhani was elected executive vice president and Willy Talag was elected secretary-general.Go was elected auditor.
READ: PDP-Laban’s ‘genuine party members’ elect new execs; Bong Go is auditor
While he admits personally knowing Garcia, Pimentel said the party does not have a “national council chairman” position which is supposedly being occupied by the former. Pimentel said the party does not have a national council chairman because it has a party chairman who is President Rodrigo Duterte.
“There is no such position. Nagtataka nga ako na national council chairman, kinakagat naman ng media, kahit sa print media binibigyan siya ng titulo before his name,” the senator said.
“Wala naman kaming national council chairman kasi we have a party chairman, si President Duterte iyon. Kelan naman niya napalitan si President Duterte as the party chairman?” he added. /muf