MANILA,聽聽Philippines 鈥� The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has recognized the faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as the聽鈥渢rue and official members鈥� of the ruling PDP-Laban party.
The Comelec Special Second Division ruled in favor of the Cusi faction, whose party chairman is President Rodrigo Duterte. The division鈥檚 decision was stated in a resolution released to reporters on Friday.
The Cusi faction earlier asked the poll body to declare as illegitimate the PDP-Laban faction led by Senators Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III and Senator Manny Pacquiao, who is running for president.
Senator Pimentel is the son and namesake of former Senate President Aquilino 鈥淣ene鈥� Pimentel, who co-founded the party.
Saying that the Cusi wing鈥檚 May 31 and July 16 national council meetings and its national assembly held on July 17, including 鈥減rior and subsequent act done pursuant thereto,鈥� are 鈥渧alid,鈥� the Comelec division recognized the party officials of the Cusi faction as 鈥渢rue and official鈥� members of the party.
鈥淐onsidering that Chairman Duterte鈥檚 chairmanship is an indisputed and well-settled fact in the aforementioned dates. It is also undisputed that Chairman Duterte鈥檚 acts on even dates are valid and effective. The fact that he presided over the election of the new sets of officers and committee chairpersons validates the entire process, making the [the] officers as the duly elected officers of PDP-Laban,鈥� the resolution further read.
These meetings and assembly, however, were earlier branded by the Pimentel-Pacquiao faction as 鈥渋llegal鈥� and against the party constitution.
The Pimentel group and the Cusi wing within PDP-Laban have been at odds with one another over the leadership of the party since last year.