Pacquiao: Comelec resolution on PDP-Laban rift likely out after May 9 polls

FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) split would possibly be resolved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after the elections on May 9.

Senator and presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao, who is leading a faction of the political party along with Senator Koko Pimentel, said this Wednesday during an interview on the sidelines of his visit to Borongan, Eastern Samar.

During the interview, he was asked how his PDP-Laban wing is preparing for the release of the Comelec ruling.

“Hindi na lalabas ‘yung decision na ‘yan bago pa mag-election. Pagkatapos na siguro ng election ‘yan madesisyunan ng Comelec dahil mahirap ‘yan,” the world boxing champion-turned-politician said.

(The decision will not be released before the elections. Maybe the Comelec will decide on it after the elections because that is hard.)

“Sa akin gusto ko sana desisyunan na nila… Mas mabuti lalong hahanga at tataas ang respeto ko sa Comelec kapag nangyari ‘yun,” he shared.

(For me, I want it to be decided already. It would be better and I will admire and have higher respect for Comelec if that happens.)

Comelec is set to decide on the legitimate PDP-Laban party representative as the group has two warring factions — the one led by Pacquiao and Pimentel and the other one led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and backed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The crack in the party started when Pacquiao challenged party chair Duterte over his stance on the Philippines’ maritime dispute with China as well as his record on eradicating corruption in the government.

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