Comelec orders Pacquiao PDP-Laban to answer Cusi faction's petition

Updated Thu, September 23, 2021 at 3:32 PM Published Wed, September 22, 2021 at 5:07 PM

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered the PDP-Laban faction led by Senator Manny Pacquiao and Senator Aquilino Pimentel III to respond to a petition questioning their legitimacy.

The poll body gave the Pacquiao-Pimentel group five days to file their answer to the petition filed by the Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi-led faction.

The Cusi wing filed the case against the Pacquiao faction for allegedly usurping party authority and pretending to be the party's representatives.

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, son of PDP-Laban founder, chairs the Pacquiao faction which he claims is the original one, and under which Pacquiao launched his presidential bid.

The internal party dispute escalated after Pacquiao's statements on corruption led to a fallout with President Rodrigo Duterte, with both factions attempting to expel each other to claim legitimacy.

The Cusi faction has proclaimed Senator Bong Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as its presidential and vice presidential bets, respectively, for the 2022 elections, though Go declined the nomination.

This Comelec order comes less than two weeks before the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections.

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Rodrigo Duterte Commission on Elections Bong Go 2022 Elections Manny Pacquiao Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III PDP-Laban

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