PDP-Laban president Alfonso Cusi denied on Wednesday speculations that the party would support the presidential bid of Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso after the withdrawal of their standard-bearer Bong Go.
"May mga kwentong ganyan pero walang katotohanan yan. Umuugong 'yang mga ganyan pero walang katotohanan," he told DZRH in an interview.
(There are stories but there is no truth to them. They are spreading but they are not true.)
According to Cusi, the party members will discuss their next steps after losing their presidential bet, adding that the candidate they would support should be someone who would continue the projects of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Mag-uusap kami ng mga opisyales ng PDP at pag-aralan kung ano ang amin way forward na ngayon wala kaming kandidato sa pagkapangulo," he said.
(The officials of PDP will meet and study our way forward now that we do not have a candidate for the presidency.)
"Kung mag-aadopt man kami ng kandidato, we're going to make sure that yung program ng gobyerno is primary - yun ang aming titignan sa kandidato," he added.
(If we’re going to adopt a candidate, we’re going to make sure that the programs of the government are primary – that’s what we’re looking for in a candidate.)
On the possibility of adopting presidential aspirants and Senator Manny Pacquiao as standard-bearer, Cusi said they will still discuss it with the party.
"Napakahirap kasi naman magsalita na hindi tapos. Alam naman natin na sa larangan ng buhay, ng pulitika, marami tayong nakakain na salita at yan ang ayaw nating mangyari," he said.
(It’s hard to say that it is not finished. We know that in life, in politics, we can eat our words and that’s not what we want to happen.)
The PDP-Laban was earlier divided into two factions, which led to the party having two presidential bets with Pacquiao being one of them.
"Kami po hindi nagsunog ng aming daan. Sabi ko na sa ginawa po ng ating mahal na champion eh sinabi nga po niya, hindi lang po tulay sinunog niya, pati buong buhay sinunog na niya eh," Cusi said.
(We did not burn bridges. I said that on what the champion did, he did not only burn bridges, but he burned the entire house.)
"So I don't know kung papano po ang mangyayari. Hindi ko masasagot yan dahil wala naman na kaming pinag-uusapan at wala akong magiging base para sabihin na pwede," he added.
(So I don’t know what will happen. I can’t answer that because we did not yet discuss is and I don’t have any basis to say that it’s possible.)
Meanwhile, Cusi said the party is still backing Davao Mayor Inday Sara Duterte for vice president, and an official endorsement would likely come after their party meeting.
"Si Mayor Inday Sara po yan po ang aming kinuha - maybe after the meeting, baka magkaroon na po kami ng official endorsement," he said.
(We choose Mayor Inday Sara – maybe after the meeting, we might have an official endorsement.)
