PDP-Laban Cusi faction asks Comelec to declare Pacquiao group illegitimate

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare the group of Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino Pimentel III as illegitimate officers of the party.

The Cusi faction, backed by President Rodrigo Duterte, also sought an urgent temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction against the Pacquiao group.

Senator Manny Pacquiao insisted that his group is the legitimate PDP-Laban, stating they will wait for the Comelec's decision.

Pacquiao cited that over 100,000 PDP members support their faction and they possess the party's database since its founding.

PDP-Laban Cusi faction secretary general Melvin Matibag stated their petition was filed against those usurping party authority.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez stated that the petition will be tackled by the poll body's en banc, with no definite timeline yet for a resolution.

Both PDP-Laban factions claim legitimacy, and the Comelec will also decide on the Sworn Information Update Statements they submitted for the May 2022 polls.

The conflict arose after Cusi's group ousted Pacquiao as PDP-Laban president in July and replaced him with Cusi.