FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday called “trapo” (traditional politician) and stupid members of the supposed dominant faction of the PDP-Laban party who are supporting the candidacy of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Pacquiao said PDP-Laban members should rethink their decision of supporting Marcos Jr. because the political party was established in 1982 to oppose the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“Alam mo ‘yung susundin si Cusi, parang, sorry to say this, but nagiging unang-una, ‘trapo’. Pangalawa, hindi siguro nag-iisip. Binuo ‘yung partido na ito laban sa pamumuno ni Ferdinand Marcos,” he said in a press conference in Isabela.
(Those who are following Cusi, I’m sorry to say this, but they are becoming, foremost, “trapo.” Second, maybe they are not using their heads. The party was formed to oppose the regime of Marcos Sr.)
On Tuesday, the PDP-Laban side led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and backed by President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed the presidential run of Marcos Jr.
Pacquiao, who is leading the other bloc of the PDP-Laban party together with Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, urged other members not to follow Cusi. He earlier branded the decision of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing to back Marcos Jr. as a “slap” to the legacy of the political party while Pimentel said such a decision only shows that Cusi’s group are “strangers to PDP-Laban.”
READ: Pimentel slams Cusi’s support for Marcos; says time for Comelec to dismiss petition of ‘usurpers’
Pacquiao and Pimentel are fighting for control over PDP-Laban after Cusi filed a petition before the Commission on Elections to declare the other faction “illegitimate.” The poll body has yet to decide on that petition.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is running for president under PROMDI.