MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte is keeping his hands off the feud involving leaders and expelled members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), his spokesperson said Thursday.

This after a group from Mindanao claiming to be party members on Wednesday held an event at the Quezon Memorial Circle criticizing House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the party’s secretary-general.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte, who sits as party chair, would not meddle in the feud between the party’s leaders and members.

“Does the President know about these gripes? Well, the President defers to the leadership, I’m sure this will be threshed out in due course. But the President has full trust and confidence in Senate President [Aquilino] Pimentel [III], Speaker Alvarez and [Energy] Secretary [Alfonso] Cusi,” Roque said in a news conference.

At the Quezon City event, the group hit Alvarez for leading the mass-oath taking of new party members without complying with the application process.

Led by PDP-Laban national council chair Rogelio Garcia, the group said the new members did not undertake the mandatory basic seminar. Garcia also lamented that old party members were not invited to its 36th anniversary celebration at a hotel in Makati City.

Ron Munsayac, chairman of the PDP Public Information and Communications Committee, said Wednesday's event was not sanctioned by the party, adding that one of its organizers, Cesar Cuntapay, was already expelled from the party.

Garcia’s membership, meanwhile, was suspended pending disciplinary procedure, said PDP-Laban deputy secretary-general Melvin Matibag.

A group led by Garcia and Cuntapay earlier claimed to have issued a resolution declaring Alvarez persona non grata from the party.

Pimentel, the party’s president, denied that PDP-Laban had made such a declaration against Alvarez.

"That group does not represent the party. Whatever their complaints, someone who has expanded the base of PDP-Laban in the House of Representatives from 3 to 123 cannot be said to have done or be doing acts inimical to the party," Pimentel said.

"Speaker Alvarez has in fact strengthened the party with quality members and was crucial in the passage of laws that forward the change we in the party advocate," he added.

Pimentel advised Cuntapay to respect the party's processes and submit his complaint to PDP-Laban's arbitration procedure.

He also issued an order to Cuntapay: "You are to immediately cease from these actions inimical to the party's image and morale, or be subject to party discipline."

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