Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY –– Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles doesn’t see any conflict within the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) after the meeting called by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi that President Duterte authorized as party chairman.
“This is a council meeting, and in a council meeting, the chairman can convene the council. So this is not what was referred to as the national assembly. This is a council meeting,” explained Nograles in a press briefing before the national council meeting called by Cusi at the Montebello Villa Hotel in Cebu City.
“As far as Secretary Cusi is concerned, he has been delegated with authority by our national chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte, to conduct this national council meeting on his behalf,” Nograles added.
Nograles said that under their party rules and by-laws, the national chair could call a council meeting.
“A national assembly is different from a council meeting. So there are two different meetings,” he said.
Nograles said other party members would be attending virtually since there was limited access to the venue.
The party’s acting president, Senator Manny Pacquiao, earlier told members to “ignore” the call of Cusi for a “national assembly” on May 31. Pacquiao’s May 25 memorandum circular to PDP-Laban members strongly advised them not to heed Cusi’s invitation since “this is not the time for politics.”