The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) will not accept new members until the two warring factions patch up their differences, according to President Rodrigo Duterte’s top aide.
In a radio interview, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go reiterated Duterte’s advice to the leaders of both factions and the other PDP-Laban members to avoid animosity and ensure that unity will prevail, especially as next year’s elections draw near.
“Wala munang ganoon. Siyempre kung may mga naga-apply din sa magkabilang paksiyon (There is no such thing [recruitment of new members]. Of course, there will be a problem if they also apply with different factions),” Go said during an interview with dzBB radio.
“Pero ang puno’t dulo nito ay magiging isa na po at importante po doon ay mapag-isa itong dalawang paksiyon.
Kasi mayroon dapat na recognized talaga ng Comelec (But the point here is that they will become one. And what’s important here is that these two factions unite because there’s only one to be recognized by the Commission on Elections),” he added.
Duterte, the chairman of the PDP-Laban, on Thursday night met with the group of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel 3rd, party president, and the faction led by Rogelio Garcia, who was supposedly elected as the new party president during an assembly last month.
Photos from Go showed Duterte meeting separately with the two groups before talking to them together in one
room at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.
Despite the President’s meddling in the in-fighting of the PDP-Laban members, the feuding factions apparently did not find a common ground.
Go said Duterte would hold another meeting with the two groups “with hopes of having a stronger and united PDP-Laban party.”
“It will be finalized in September. Kasi may mga reklamo sila na isa…’yung paksiyon hindi na sila napapansin, hindi nabibigyan ng halaga at hindi raw nagkaroon ng convention o pagpupulong. So, heto na ‘yung hinihingi nila.
Most likely po ay matutupad po ito at magaganap po ito [because they are complaining, one, the faction said they were not recognized, they were not given importance and there was no convention or meeting held. So, that’s what they’re asking. Most likely this will be realized],” he added.
The meeting came two weeks after Garcia, a long-time member of PDP-Laban and a classmate of the President in law school, was elected party president when his group held a national assembly on July 27 at the Amoranto Amphitheater in Quezon City.
But Pimentel and former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the party’s secretary-general, maintained that they are the legitimate officers of PDP-Laban, saying they had previously warned the public against individuals who claimed to be officers of the party.
On Saturday, Pimentel said he would not prevent the supposed plan of a PDP-Laban “faction” to break away.
“[Kung] sila naman ‘yung hihiwalay, parang good riddance [If they want to leave, then, good riddance],” he said.
“Kung di kayo makikinig, na wala naman kayong karapatan, na matigas kayo diyan, e di good riddance.
Maghiwalayan na lang tayo [If you won’t listen, in fact you have no right, and you insist, well, good riddance. Let’s part ways],” Pimentel said in a radio interview.
PDP-Laban is preparing for the national and local elections, with the President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, saying that regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) supports the ruling PDP-Laban but has no wish to take away its members.
“We respect the PDP-Laban party. We do not meddle in their faction problem. We support them supporting the administration of PRD [President Rodrigo Duterte],” the younger Duterte said.
“If there is anything that HNP can do to help PDP-Laban, our group is ready to assist them. HNP is offering a hand of friendship to all other political parties who support the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte,” she added.
While HNP maintains it is a regional party, it has endorsed some senatorial candidates, such as Go, reelectionist Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald de la Rosa.
Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar had been spotted joining HNP’s events.
Harry Roque Jr., Malacañang spokesman, who is not from the Davao region, recently took his oath as HNP member.
Roque is said to have plans to run for senator in 2019.
With reports from Bernadette Tamayo