Partido Federal execs dismayed over 'unseated' chair's case vs Marcos Jr.

MANILA — Executives of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the party of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., on Friday denied having an "internal feud" after its ousted chairman filed a case against the candidacy of their standard bearer. 

• 'Fake member': 'Unseated' Partido Federal chair seeks disqualification of Marcos Jr.

"Intact naman po at wala naman pong talagang gusot na nangyari… Si [Abubakar] Mangelen, member pa rin siya ng partido, at 'yung binakante niya lang ay 'yung kanyang pagiging chairman ng partido," said PFP secretary general Thompson Lantion.

On Thursday, Mangelen, who said he is the duly-elected chairman of PFP, went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to invalidate Marcos' certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) because he did not sign the document.

Mangelen also accused PFP members of unseating him as chairman without due process in order to make Marcos the leader of the party.

Aside from seeking the invalidation of Marcos' CONA, Mangelen also asked Comelec to disqualify the presidential frontrunner citing his tax evasion conviction. 

However, members of PFP expressed dismay on Mangelen’s case against Marcos.

Bong Amin, PFP-BARMM chairman, claimed that Mangelen even congratulated Marcos when he was endorsed by the party.

"Sumasama na ang loob namin ngayon sa ginagawa niya," said Amin.

(We feel bad about what he is doing.) 

The PFP said they knew who are behind Mangelen’s "questionable move" against the party and its standard bearer. They said they will wait for a copy of the petition. 

"Alam po namin sino nasa likuran niya na ginagamit siya," said Amin.

(We know who's behind him and who's using him.)

Mangelen's petition is the latest among the string of legal challenges against Marcos' presidential bid, considered the most contested in recent election history.

• Marcos presidential bid most contested since Poe's 2016 legal row— official

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