Senator Manny Pacquiao (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte (right). INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Will PDP-Laban expel its own chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte, if he attends and presides over its national assembly on Saturday?
According to party president, Senator Manny Pacquiao, the decision would be up to the majority of PDP-Laban.
“Kung ano yung mapag desisyunan ng national majority at national council, lahat ng mga members, majority ng members ng PDP din, yun ang boses ng PDP,” Pacquiao said over DZBB when asked if the party would expel Duterte if he shows up in the assembly.
(Whatever the decision of the national majority and national council — all its members — and the majority of PDP, then that’s the voice of PDP)
PDP-Laban acting Secretary-General Melvin Matibag said earlier that Duterte himself will preside over the national assembly of the party on Saturday. He said that any removal of members of the party should be ousted based on legal grounds.
“Kung may ground, lahat ng members, kahit ako presidente, kung may ground na pwede akong tanggalin, tanggalin. That’s the only way.”
(If there’s ground to remove me, even if I am the President, then I could be expelled. That’s the only way.)
“Kung meron akong ginawa na masama na paglabag sa constitution, tanggalin ako, walang problema. Pero kung tatanggalin ako para lang sa vested interest, mga self interests lang ng iba yan, I have the majority support of the members of the PDP national,” he added.
(If I violate the constitution, and I get expelled, then there’s no problem. But if they remove me only for their vested interest, I have the majority support of the members of the PDP national)
However, Pacquaio and Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, executive vice chairman of PDP, do not recognize the “unauthorized” assembly as it was not coordinated with them and the party’s national executive committee.
Pacquiao even warned those attending the assembly that they could be be suspended or expelled from PDP.
Amid this infighting in the party, Pacquiao tried to reach out to the President.
“I didn’t have a chance to talk to him although we asked an appointment with him pero hindi kami nagkaroon ng chance. Baka busy sya (but we didn’t get a chance; maybe he’s busy),” he said.