PDP-Laban members on Saturday removed Sen. Manny Pacquiao as their acting president, electing a new set of officers during its national assembly that was overseen by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi, who is among those pushing for Duterte's vice presidential candidacy, was elected president of the party after the positions of all national officers and committe chairs vacant.
The party opened the nomination for its new officers on Friday during its national council meeting. Former Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre II headed the party's election committee.
Cusi earlier stressed the need to hold an election during the national assembly, saying that all their officials were serving in acting capacity.
"Every two years we should have our election. Napakaraming taon na ang nagdaan na hindi tayo nagkaroon ng election. So bale kaming lahat are acting officers," he said.
Atty. Red Tuazon, who spoke on behalf of PDP-Laban deputy secretary-general Melvon Matibag, said Pacquiao could not be considered "ousted" as he was only serving on holdover capacity, along with all party officials prior to the election on Saturday.
"He took over the term of Sen. [Koko] Pimentel who is also a holdover. That is why we question the legality. Paso na lahat ang positions," he told reporters.
"We want to formalize it and the basis for declaring these posts vacant is that provision in the Constitution that the national officers only serve for two years. We want to seek fresh mandate for all," he added.
Pacquiao's removal from his post came after weeks of testy exchanges between him and Duterte, who chastised the senator over his comments on the West Philippine Sea dispute and for raising alleged corruption in the government.
Pacquiao, who is now in the U.S. for his boxing match with Errol Spence Jr., skipped the national assembly and urged his partymates to ignore the event as well, saying that it was an "unauthorized" activity.
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