Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. Screen grab / Senate PRIB file photo
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday urged members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) not to attend “unauthorized party meeting next week.
The party led by its vice chairman, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, is set to hold a national assembly on July 17. According to Malacañang, President Rodrigo Duterte, the party chairman, will attend the meeting.
But Pimentel, executive vice chairman of PDP-Laban, said the legitimate national assembly of the party will only happen in September.
“Meron lang kaming panawagan sa lahat na, you know July 16 and 17, hindi po authorized yan ng party leadership so huwag na kayong umattend dyan,” he said.
(We just want to make this call to everyone that the July 16 and 17 [meeting] is not authorized by the party leadership so don’t attend there.)
“Pero kung umattend sila saka na natin tingnan kung ano mangayayari dun pero meron din naman sa September national assembly,” added the senator.
(But if they attend, then let’s see what will happen there, but there’s also a national assembly in September.)
Cusi and two other officials have been expelled by the party in a resolution signed by its president, Senator Manny Pacquiao for supposedly violating its own constitution.
Pimentel described the present situation in the party as “abnormal times.”
“Nalulungkot ako at umabot na sa ganito, sayang kasi kaya naman sana itong maayos kung naging open lang kami sa isa’t isa at saka trusting and honest with each other.”
(I’m saddened that we reached this point because we could have fixed this if we’re just open, trusting and honest with each other.)
“Nakakalungkot kasi nga nagiging abnornal times for the party, hindi na ito normal actions e normal times sa isang political party. Abnormal e. May galaw e, may galaw na naman hindi kinaklaro kung ano purpose nila e,” he further said.
(It’s sad because it has become abnormal times for the party, this is not the normal actions, normal times of a political party. This is abnormal. They are taking actions without explaining their purpose.)
Pimentel then later claimed there was an alleged attempt to grab power and tagged Cusi as the “brains” behind it.