Pacquiao, Pimentel to skip ‘unauthorized’ July 17 PDP-Laban meeting

Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III will skip the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) national council meeting on July 17 to be led by Energy Secretary Alfono Cusi, party vice-chairman.

Pacquiao is the political party’s president while Pimentel serves as its executive vice-chairman.

“PDP Laban President Sen. Manny Pacquiao will not attend the said activity led by Sec. Cusi & his group. The PDP Laban national leadership, grassroots membership, and old guards of the Party sees this as an unauthorized assembly,” PDP-Laban Executive Director Ron Munsayac told reporters in a message.

“Any resolution or decision that will be borne out of this unauthorized activity will be ignored,” he added.

In an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel, Pimentel also said he will not attend the July 17 meeting.

“I have no hand in that meeting, I’m not going to attend that,” the senator said.

Pacquiao and Pimentel did not attend the May 31 meeting also called by Cusi. The two senators both called the event “unauthorized.”

READ: ‘Old’ PDP-Laban members worried about newbies’ ‘secret agenda’ — Koko Pimentel

Munsayac said Pacquiao continues to enjoy the “overwhelming support” from the party’s grassroots and longtime members.

“Out of our more than 100,000 card-bearing members, only a little more than 5,000 are politicians (from President to councilors). Just to be clear, those who attended the activity held by Sec. Cusi last May 31 were a mere 100 members out of the 100,000 in our roster,” he added.

“Mostly politicians and appointed officials in the executive department. But to be fair to the politicians, they attended because they believed it had the blessings of Malacañang Palace,” he said.

JE