Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 8) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will set a hearing next week to resolve the impasse within administration party PDP-Laban, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said on Friday
The conflict is between the factions of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, whose group was described as “illegitimate officers and/or unauthorized representatives” of the party.
Abas said the Pacquiao wing submitted its response to the Cusi-led petition.
“We will start the hearing, after that we will decide after the clarificatory hearing so we should just wait for our decision,” he said in a media briefing on the final day of filing of certificates of candidacy.
The poll body ordered on Sept. 23 the Pacquiao wing to answer the petition.
The Cusi group wants Comelec to recognize the July 17 national assembly presided over by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Pacquiao camp held a separate national convention that elected Sen. Koko Pimentel as chairman.
The Cusi wing expelled Pacquiao from the party on Oct. 3 after the lawmaker filed his certificate of candidacy for president under the Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives.
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Pimentel told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Oct. 5 he is not interested in unity talks with the Cusi faction.
Meanwhile, the Cusi-led PDP-Laban faction nominated Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa as its presidential aspirant in tandem with Sen. Bong Go. Dela Rosa filed his COC on Friday.
