Comelec recognizes Cusi group as official PDP-Laban Party

MANILA – The group of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) president Alfonso Cusi has been recognized as the official members of the political group, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday.

In an 11-page Resolution, the poll body’s Second Division acknowledged the Cusi wing over the faction of Koko Pimentel III.

“Considering that the 31 May 2021 and 16 July 2021 National Council Meetings, and 17 July 2021 National Assembly, and all the predicate resolutions, as well as prior and subsequent acts done pursuant thereto are valid, the following are recognized as the true and official members of the PDP-Laban party,” said the ruling.

The Comelec added that one of the deciding factors was the undisputed and well-settled role of President Rodrigo Duterte as the chairperson of the group.

It said the actions taken by the party chair, such as the assembly for the National Council Meeting on May 31, 2021, are valid and effective.

“The fact that he presided over the election of the new sets of party officers and committee chairpersons validates the entire process, making the above-enumerated officers the duly elected officers of PDP-Laban,” the Resolution added.

In September 2021, the Cusi faction filed a petition to the Comelec against Pimentel’s camp asking the poll body to declare the latter as illegal representatives of the party.

The case stemmed after both camps each submitted their Sworn Information Update Statement (SIUS) with the Comelec as required by the poll body ahead of the May 2022 polls.

On May 5, the Comelec declared PDP-Laban as the Dominant Majority Party in the May 9 elections.

The camp of Pimentel has five days to file a Motion for Reconsideration before the Commission en banc.