The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division has officially recognized the faction of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as the legitimate PDP-Laban wing.
In a resolution released on Friday, the Second Division said it recognizes Cusi's faction as the "true and official members" of the PDP-Laban Party.
It resolved that the faction's National Assembly held on July 17, 2021, as well as its National Council Meetings in May 31, 2021, and July 17, 2021, are "done pursuant thereto are valid."
"Considering that Chairman Duterte's chairmanship is an undisputed and well-settled fact in the aforementioned cates. It is also undisputed that Chairman Duterte's acts on even dates are valid and effective," the resolution read.
"The fact that he presided over the election of the new sets of party officers and committee chairpersons validates the entire process, making the above-enumerated officers as the duty elected officers of PDP-Laban."
The decision resolves the split inside the PDP-Laban Party back in 2021, which saw one headed by Cusi and Duterte, and another led by Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino Pimentel III.
Petition 'fatally defective'
In a statement, Pimentel said that COMELEC's decision is "not immediately executory" and their side will file a Motion for Reconsideration to raise again that the petition filed by Cusi was "fatally defective."
"It was filed for and on behalf of a political party (which is not a human being without any Board Resolution authorizing its filing!" said Pimentel in a statement.
The senator added that they will be demanding an explanation from COMELEC as to why they referred the "fatally defective petition to a division without even informing" the Pimentel faction.
"Those of us who have known only one political party, the PDP-Laban, and have been with PDP-Laban for 40 long years will not be separated from out party because of Sec. Cusi who joined the party five years ago and his group of people who are outsiders and strangers to the party?" he said.
"Ayaw nga namin maging mga turncoats kaya nga 40 years na kami sa PDP-Laban. Ayaw namin ng palipat-lipat ng partido, and it is COMELEC which will force us to transfer to another party against our will and against our party rules?"
(We don’t want to be turncoats and that’s why we’ve been with PDP-Laban for 40 years. We do not want to transfer parties, and it is COMELEC that will force us to transfer to another party against our will and against our party rules?)
Pimentel then stressed that the matter should only be resolved by the "legitimate" members of the party and not "complete strangers."
"Only legitimate PDP-Laban members should be allowed to resolve this issue. The 'padding' of the membership by outsiders and complete strangers to the party should not be allowed."
