MANILA - Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said the PDP-Laban faction is he heading would hold its own national convention on September 19, about 10 days after a rival faction's assembly.
Pacquiao made the announcement hours before the PDP-Laban group headed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi began its national assembly in Pampanga where Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go's and President Rodrigo Duterte's candidacies for the 2022 national elections were expected to be announced.
"Mayroon kaming convention din na ipapatawag ngayong September 19," he said in a virtual press conference.
(We will also hold a convention on September 19.)
"Mag-eelect kami ng mga bagong officers ng partido," he said.
(We will elect new party officers.)
Last month, Pacquiao's group installed Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel as the ruling party's new chairman as a replacement for Duterte who sided with Cusi's team.
Both Cusi and Pacquiao both claim to be the president of the ruling party.
The 2 factions filed separate Sworn Information Update Statements (SIUS) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The Comelec en banc has yet to decide how it would reconcile the 2 documents or which SIUS it would uphold.
Cusi's group also filed a petition asking the poll body to nullify all party actions done by Pacquiao's team, saying these are "illegal and not sanctioned by the PDP-Laban party."
"Hihintayin natin 'yung desisyon ng Comelec kasi kami, naniniwala kami na kami ang legit na PDP," Pacquiao said.
(We will wait for the decision of the Comelec because we believe that we are the legitimate PDP.)
"Nandito sa atin yung lahat ng database ng partido mula ng ito ay tinatag hanggang sa kasalukuyan," he said.
(The database of all the members since the party's establishment up to now are with us.)
The faction whose SIUS will not be honored by the Comelec cannot issue certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONAs). Candidates who have no CONA will have to run as independent bets.
The Comelec has yet to announce when it would release a decision on the PDP-Laban's issues.
Manny Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao 2022, Halalan 2022, Manny Pacquiao for president, PDP-Laban, Pacquiao faction, Cusi faction