MANILA, Philippines— Senator Manny Pacquiao insisted on Saturday that he is the legitimate, and not just an acting president of the PDP-Laban party.
“For their information po , hindi po acting president kasi succession po ang nangyari sakin,” Pacquiao said in an online interview with reporters.
(For their information, I’m not acting president because what happened to me was succession [of power])
“So in short hindi po ako pwedeng tawaging acting president po ako. Ako po ay legit na president dahil succession po ang nangyari for their information,” he said.
(So in short, they can’t call me acting president. I’m the legit president because what happened was a succession, for their information)
Pacquiao assumed the presidency of the party last December from Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who now serves as the executive vice-chairman of the party.
However, party vice-chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte himself was not consulted on the change in the party’s leadership.
Duterte is vice-chairman of the PDP-Laban party.