MANILA - The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) on Tuesday said it has expelled former Palace executive secretary Atty. Vic Rodriguez from the party.

In a strongly worded statement, the PFP said Rodriguez was removed as a member of the party in a decision dated November 11, 2022.

"Rodriguez was expelled from the PFP for his incompetence as a public servant, conduct inimical to the interests of the party, abuse and breach of trust and confidence reposed on him by the President and the party, abandonment and disloyalty," the party alleged.

PFP also said Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Anton Lagdameo has been appointed as the new Executive Vice President of the party.

The party said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took no part in the decision to expel Rodriguez, but has been informed of the decision and "offered no objection".

"The decision stated that the President will not leave the PFP and join another party, but instead will strengthen the party," it said.

According to the PFP, it received a complaint from PFP BARMM officers against Rodriguez for alleged corruption on presidential appointments.

"The decision found that no single original PFP official, coming from the party of the President, was recommended by Rodriguez to be appointed to any position in this administration, notwithstanding that he is the Executive Secretary or “Little President” thru whom all appointments pass thru. Hence, the party found no useful purpose to maintain its association with respondent," the party said.

In a statement, Rodriguez said he could not let any non-qualified applicant be appointed in the Marcos Jr. administration, whether or not they are members of PFP.

"My loyalty to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas ends where the interest of the 31.6 million Filipinos who believed in us during the campaign, and my loyalty to the Republic of the Philippines begins," he said.

"I could not, in conscience, during my time as executive secretary, let a non-qualified applicant be appointed to the administration of PBBM simply because he or she is a member of PFP," Rodriguez added.

Malacañang in September announced the resignation of Rodriguez, Marcos Jr.'s long-time lawyer and spokesperson.

At that time, Rodriguez said he will still be part of the Marcos administration as the Presidential Chief of Staff.

• Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez resigns: Palace

However, in October, Rodriguez said he has "completely exited" the Marcos administration.

Rodriguez's resignation came weeks after he was tagged in a controversy on the Sugar Regulatory Administration's go signal for imports, which Malacañang later said was "illegal."

It was Rodriguez who "issued the order to create an importation plan," for sugar, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a Palace briefing on Aug. 11. However, the Palace later defended Rodriguez and said he had nothing to do with the botched importation plan.

• Vic Rodriguez says he 'completely exited' Marcos administration

Rodriguez acknowledged his "continued silence" on matters related to his previous post as executive secretary but said all communications between him and Marcos were "absolutely privileged, something which I shall continue to honor."

Rodriguez has been with Marcos' camp since the senator-turned-chief executive ran for vice president in 2016, and when they lodged electoral protests against the victory of Vice President Leni Robredo back then.

The 48-year-old lawyer earned his law degree from the University of Santo Tomas, before he joined the Negotiation and Influence Program of the National University of Singapore (NUS).

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