Comelec exec hopes decision on PDP-Laban row out before end-March

Aquilino Pimentel III and Alfonso Cusi

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia hopes the poll body can decide before the end of March which of the two factions of the ruling PDP-Laban is legitimate.

“I was really hoping that we will be able to resolve this controversy regarding the intra-party dispute of this party before the end of March,” Garcia said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday.

“We should be able to do that in order to erase any doubt. Remember that there is also a conflict as to which between the CONA (Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance) of the candidates of the two parties should prevail. Until today, there is no resolution yet,” he noted.

According to Garcia, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan has reminded the ponente of the case to expedite the resolution on the PDP-Laban conflict.

“Last en banc meeting last week, it was discussed by the en banc, and our chairman instructed whoever is the ponente of the case to kindly please expedite the resolution. We have a commitment to expedite,” he said.

“Maybe this afternoon, we will be having our en banc. The chairman will again remind the ponente about the decision or resolution of the controversy,” he added.

Garcia said he is not participating in the deliberation for the resolution of the case.

“I am not participating in the deliberation or in acting on the petition simply because I used to be a lawyer of PDP-Laban when both camps were still united,” he said.

The PDP-Laban is currently divided into two factions: one led by Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Manny Pacquiao, and the other led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. The former supports the presidential candidacy of Pacquiao, while the latter previously supported the presidential bid of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. Go would later withdraw from the race.

Last year, the group led by Cusi filed a petition before the Comelec asking the poll body to declare the faction led by Pimentel and Pacquiao as illegitimate.

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