‘Bato,’ Tolentino ignore Pacquiao boycott call, attend PDP-Laban nat’l assembly via Zoom

Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Sen. Francis Tolentino defy the boycott call from Sen. Manny Pacquiao. (PRIB Photo by Joseph Vidal/ 06 August 2019)–
JOSEPHVIDAL

MANILA, Philippines — Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino, known administration allies, attended the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) national party assembly on Monday via online.

That’s despite the earlier advice coming from party president and Dela Rosa and Tolentino’s colleague in the Senate, Senator Manny Pacquiao, for party members to “ignore” the said assembly.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao: His call to ignore the PDP-Laban national assembly falls on deaf ears. (File photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

PDP-Laban Deputy General Melvin Matibag mentioned Dela Rosa and Tolentino’s names during the roll call of party members who were attending the assembly via Zoom.

The two senators confirmed to INQUIRER.net their virtual attendance at the assembly. Both said they had to step out of the meeting to attend the Senate’s plenary session.

“Yes [I attended], virtual lang pero sandali lang kasi nag-bell na ang session hall,” Dela Rosa, for his part, told INQUIRER.net

(Yes, I attended; it was a virtual meeting, but it wasn’t long before the session hall rang.)

The national council meeting called by party vice-chairman Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi was held in Cebu City.

On May 27, Pacquiao “strongly advised” party members to “ignore” Cusi’s call for an assembly, saying it was “not sanctioned by Authorized National Council officials and violates Section 4 and Section 5, Article XVI, Constitution of the PDP Laban.”

However, Malacañang, later on, said it was party chairman President Rodrigo Duterte himself who directed Cusi to convene the national assembly.

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