(FILE) President Rodrigo Roa Duterte chats with Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on the sidelines of the Switch-on Celebration of San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Co. 500-Megawatt Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Plant at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City on October 16, 2019. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Energy Secretary and PDP-Laban vice chairman Alfonso Cusi was directed by President Rodrigo Duterte to convene the PDP-Laban party national assembly, the Palace said Sunday.
This is the national assembly Senator Manny Pacquiao had earlier tried to dismiss through a memorandum circular.
Duterte as chairman of the PDP-Laban party was the one who directed Cusi “to organize, convene, and preside over a council meeting of its members,” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“This move, which is part of the democratic exercise, aims to consult party members and have fruitful and productive exchanges on issues affecting PDP-Laban,” said Roque in a statement on Sunday.
This came after Senator Manny Pacquiao, president of the PDP-Laban party, discouraged members from participating in the national assembly being called by Cusi.
According to Pacquiao, through the memorandum, the “said invitation letter is not sanctioned by Authorized National Council officials and violates Section 4 and Section 5, Article XVI, Constitution of the PDP Laban.”
The memorandum also stressed that any call for a national council, assembly or meeting is subject to the approval of Pacquiao, who is the president of the party, and Duterte, as the party chairman.
On March 12, Pacquiao also warned Cusi not to “divide” the party after the latter reportedly toured around the country meeting with party members over a resolution asking Duterte to run for vice president in next year’s elections.
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