Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi Senator Manny Pacquiao. FILE PHOTOS / SENATE PRIB and INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao has “closed the door” on the PDP-Laban Cusi faction’s offer for him to lead its senatorial slate in the 2022 elections.
PDP-Laban party president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Tuesday said his group has been inviting and wanting to meet with Pacquiao to discuss the offer, but latter “closed the door” and “burned the bridges” to the party.
“We have been inviting him, and wanting to meet with him but unfortunately he closed the door to us. Not just closing the doors, we have been saying, na please don’t burn your bridges,” Cusi said in an online media forum.
“Ang nangyari kasi, he not just closed the door but also burned the bridges,” Cusi added.
The PDP-Laban Cusi faction is set to officially nominate its 2022 candidates on Wednesday in a national convention to be held in Pampanga.
It earlier endorsed the tandem of Senator Bong Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as the party’s standard bearers in 2022, and partially released its senatorial lineup which include:
-House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta
-Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo
-Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gringo Honasan
-Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
-Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar
Cusi said all senatorial bets will be PDP-Laban and the party will not entertain guest candidates nor will it allow its senate bets to be guest candidates of other political parties.
The PDP-Laban has been split into two factions, one of which is led by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III as well as Senator Pacquiao and the other led by Cusi.
The split came as the two factions aim to support different candidates in the 2022 elections.
The Pimentel wing is expected to nominate Pacquiao as its standard-bearer in the 2022 elections.