Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 31) — Despite being the party’s chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte cannot impose what PDP-Laban should do given recent issues hounding the party, according to his spokesperson, Harry Roque.
“[C]hairman po ng partido ang Presidente pero hindi naman po pupwedeng diktahan ni Presidente kung ano ang gagawin ng partido,” Roque said during Monday’s media briefing when asked whether recent factions in the party could lead to serious cracks within the current administration.
[Translation: The President is the chairman of the party but he cannot dictate what it should do.]
Roque announced on Sunday that Duterte directed party vice chairman Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to organize and preside over a national council assembly for PDP-Laban members. At today’s press briefing, the spokesperson reiterated that only the party chairman can call such a meeting under the party’s constitution.
“Kaya nga po nagpupulong na ganyan para malaman kung anong direksyon ang tatahakin ng partido,” Roque further explained, also noting the importance of relaying to PDP-Laban members what the chief executive has accomplished in the past five years.
[Translation: That’s why such a meeting is convened: to find out what direction will the party pursue moving forward.]
After Roque’s announcement on Sunday, PDP-Laban executive director Ron Munsayac said party president Senator Manny Pacquiao shall request a meeting with Duterte over issues concerning the party.
Pacquiao earlier told members to ignore Cusi’s call for a national assembly supposedly to be held on end-May. Munsayac said a few days ago no rift exists between party members, calling the clashing orders from top leaders a “very simple misunderstanding.”
During the controversial council meeting in Cebu on Monday afternoon, PDP-Laban members adopted a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 polls. Munsayac, however, claimed the meeting’s convenors broke the party’s rules.
