Pimentel hints of Cusi’s ‘secret agenda,’ gifting PDP-Laban’s presidential nomination to ‘outsider’

PDP-Laban stalwart and Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Thursday hinted of party vice chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi’s “secret agenda” in holding “unauthorized” national meeting, claiming the latter intends to gift the ruling party’s presidential nomination to an outsider.

Pimentel, PDP-Laban executive vice chairman, questioned the need for secrecy when Cusi and his faction did not fix the agenda with party acting president Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Pimentel, who wrote the party’s constitution, said the meeting held last May 31 was a “unauthorized and unlawful gathering.”

“They kept the president (Pacquiao) unaware of the agenda, so that was my basic question. Why the need for secrecy? Was there a secret agenda being pursued by Secretary Cusi and his group?” he said in an ANC interview.

“So a secret agenda is to gift the presidential nomination of the party to a party outsider and worse even gift the party to another party for it to be devoured merge and lose its identity. Hindi kami papayag doon kaya we should do this scientifically and step by step,” he added.

Asked whether he thinks the party will be gifted to presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Pimentel said it is Cusi who should be asked about the matter. The Davao mayor is not a member of PDP-Laban.

Pacquiao and Sara are among the names being floated as possible presidential bets in the 2022 national and local elections.

Pimentel said he has already pointed out to Cusi that the ruling party has “grew too large, too fast,” adding that there are members who have not even completed their membership requirements yet.

He also told Cusi that it is “premature” to hold meetings and assemblies yet.

“That’s why I told him to do it step by step but they are in a hurry, they did not even involve the party president in the fixing of the agenda, so the question is, is there a secret agenda?” he reiterated.

As a veteran member of PDP-Laban, Pimentel said he is worried about Cusi’s secret agenda as they have “invested” blood, sweat, and tears with the party.

“Bakit kami papayag na ‘yung mga sumali lamang sa time ni President Duterte, 2016, mga baguhan, sinali namin subject to perfection of basic membership requirement, ni hindi nag-exert ng effort to perfect basic membership requirements and now we will allow them to dictate the future direction of the party, 'di po kami papayag doon,” he said.

(Why would we allow those who just joined the party during the time of President Duterte, in 2016, to dictate the future of the party? We won’t allow that.)

Pimentel also said he does not support the resolution adopted by the Cusi-led PDP-Laban national council meeting which urged President Rodrigo Duterte to run for vice president.

He said the resolution was questionable as the process of choosing PDP-Laban’s standard bearer is being done the other way around.

The lawmaker explained that it should be the standard bearer who will choose his or her vice president.

But with President Duterte urged to gun for the vice presidency, the PDP-Laban, through the resolution, is allowing the President to choose his standard bearer for 2022 polls.

On Thursday, Pimentel advised his partymates not to pressure Duterte to run for vice president.

He likewise told his partymates who back possible 2022 presidential bets outside the ruling party should leave as it showed disloyalty.

“Para namang walang pagmamahal, walang loyalty, at walang bilib sa sariling party. Kung ganyan na lang, 'di lumipat ka na lang du’n sa partido na bilib ka or sa partido ng personality na sinusundan mo,” he said.

GMA News Online sought Cusi for comment on Pimentel's remarks but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.—AOL, GMA News