Should there be a move to oust him during the PDP-Laban national council meeting on July 17, Senator Manny Pacquiao hoped it would not prosper as he claimed he had the support of “the true leaders” of the party.
“What are my violations for them to be angry at me and to remove me?” Paquiao asked.
“Is there due process in what they will do?” he added.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, who was being referred to by Pacquiao as “real owner” of PDP-Laban, said President Rodrigo Duterte and Pacquiao should meet to settle their internal differences.
The senator, former PDP-Laban President, and current vice chairman, is the son of the party’s founder, the late former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr.
“Allow us to settle the internal issues within the Party, internally and privately,” said Pimentel.
Pimentel also rejected questions on the legality of Pacquiao sitting as acting party president.
Pimentel stressed “succession does not require permission of party members.”
PDP-Laban Executive Director Ron Munsayac said Pacquiao would not attend the July 17 event.
He noted that any resolution or decision that will be borne out of what he called an unauthorized activity will be ignored.
Pimentel also said he would not attend the July 17 meeting, noting he has no hand in that meeting.
Munsayac said Pacquiao continues to enjoy the “overwhelming support” from the party’s grassroots and longtime members.
“Out of our more than 100,000 card-bearing members, only a little more than 5,000 are politicians (from President to councilors). Just to be clear, those who attended the activity held by Sec. Cusi last May 31 were a mere 100 members out of the 100,000 in our roster,” he added.
Both Pacquiao and Pimentel did not show up during the party’s National Council Assembly in Cebu last May led by PDP vice chairman and Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi.
It was Cusi, who presided over PDP-Laban’s meeting on May 31 where the party adopted a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice president next year.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) said it would welcome Pacquiao into the party if he is booted out of PDP-Laban.
When asked if the NPC is willing to adopt Pacquiao, NPC acting president and Senate President Vicente Sotto III said: “If he wants to join the NPC, we will cross the bridge when we get there. But of course, he is welcome.”
According to Senator Panfilo Lacson, Pacquiao may drop a bombshell on alleged corrupt activities under the Duterte administration today (Saturday) before he leaves for the US to prepare for his boxing match against Errol Spence Jr.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, for his part, said he is also preparing to disclose details on corruption involving Duterte and Senator Christopher Go.
“Next week, I will expose Duterte and Bong Go’s corruption,” Trillanes said on Twitter.
Go brushed aside Trillanes’ post, saying the former lawmaker was only seeking attention in the run-up to the 2022 elections.
Go warned Trillanes that after the latter attacked him in 2017, he became a senator in 2019.
“Because of your false accusations before, I became a senator. Perhaps, something else will also happen now,” Go said.