MANILA – Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday urged members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) not to attend “unauthorized party meeting next week.”
The party led by its vice chairman, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, is set to hold a national assembly on July 17. According to Malacañang, President Rodrigo Duterte, the party chairman, will attend the meeting.
But Pimentel, executive vice chairman of PDP-Laban, said the legitimate national assembly of the party will only happen in September.
“Meron lang kaming panawagan sa lahat na, you know July 16 and 17, hindi po authorized ‘yan ng party leadership so huwag na kayong umattend dyan,” he said.
“Pero kung umattend sila saka na natin tingnan kung ano mangayayari dun pero meron din naman sa September national assembly,” added the senator.
Cusi and two other officials have been expelled by the party in a resolution signed by its president, Senator Manny Pacquiao for supposedly violating its own constitution.
Pimentel described the present situation in the party as “abnormal times.”
“Nalulungkot ako at umabot na sa ganito, sayang kasi kaya naman sana itong maayos kung naging open lang kami sa isa’t isa at saka trusting and honest with each other.”
“Nakakalungkot kasi nga nagiging abnormal times for the party, hindi na ito normal actions e normal times sa isang political party. Abnormal e. May galaw e, may galaw na naman hindi kinaklaro kung ano purpose nila e,” he further said.
Pimentel then later claimed there was an alleged attempt to grab power and tagged Cusi as the “brains” behind it.(©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
