President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum in Batangas on April 17, 2019. RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Amid the seeming rift among its members, the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) will decide on its party leadership in July.
During PDP-Laban’s national council meeting on Monday, the party decided to hold another assembly on July 17 and elect its officers. This, however, still needs to be concurred by President Rodrigo Duterte who is the chairman of the party.
This raised questions on whether Senator Manny Pacquiao will be replaced as the PDP-Laban president amid supposed differences in policy direction among key party members.
Asked about this following the national council meeting, PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said they do not want to pre-empt what will happen during the July assembly.
“Meron po kasi kaming proseso on how to elect the officers and it is always the national assembly who will elect the set of officers,” Matibag said.
“In the case of Senator Pacquiao, he assumed as acting president due to the resignation of Senator Koko Pimentel. So even our bylaws say that the terms of office of the officers will always be two years. So everybody right now is on overcapacity,” he added.
Further, Matibag said: “It is better that we have a national assembly so we decide on the leadership. But We don’t want to preempt kung ano mang pupuntahan natin.”
INQUIRER.net sought the comment of Pacquiao on the matter but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.
The national council meeting pushed through even as Pacquiao earlier discouraged members from participating in the national assembly called by party vice-chairman Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
According to the memorandum issued by Pacquiao on May 27, the invitation letter for the national assembly “is not sanctioned by Authorized National Council officials and violates Section 4 and Section 5, Article XVI, Constitution of the PDP Laban.”
Further, the memorandum claimed that any call for a national council, assembly or meeting is subject to the approval of both Pacquiao and Duterte, only.
Nonetheless, the Palace itself has said that it was Duterte himself who directed Cusi to convene the national assembly.