Pimentel faction eyes Pacquiao's nomination as PDP-Laban presidential bet for Eleksyon 2022

The PDP-Laban faction led by party stalwart Senator Aquilino Pimentel III is eyeing the nomination of Senator Manny Pacquiao as their standard bearer for Eleksyon 2022.

In a Dobol B TV interview on Wednesday, Pimentel said their faction has a "preliminary list" of presidential candidates consisting of only one name — Pacquiao's.

“Kaya nga preliminary list na lang tawag natin don kasi tunay na shortlist siya, isa lang. Si Sen. Manny Pacquiao lang ang nandoon,” Pimentel said.

(We only have one name on the list. We have called this preliminary list and we only have one candidate, Sen. Manny Pacquiao.)

The lawmaker said their faction will nominate Pacquiao during their national assembly tentatively set on September 18.

Unlike the procedure used by the rival faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Pimentel said they will do the “common” process of nomination.

He said it is up for their group’s presidential bet to choose who will be his running mate and senatorial bets as this is part of their “strategy and political tactics.”

“Iba yung pamamaraan namin. ‘Yung mas common. Unahin namin ang pag-determine ng presidential candidate, tapos merong mga, may idea kasi na yung pagpili mo ng vice president, at saka yung mga senador ipasa niyo na sa presidential candidate,” he said.

(Our process is the common one. We will determine our presidential candidate first then presidential candidate will choose the vice president and the senators.)

Pimentel, however, refused to name Pacquiao’s possible running mate. He said it is Pacquiao who should announce the name once he has already decided whether he will accept the nomination to run for president or not.

On Tuesday, the Cusi-led faction announced through a statement that President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to run for vice president in the 2022 polls.

Melvin Matibag, secretary general of the Cusi faction, said they are reaching out to Senator Manny Pacquiao's camp to ask the legislator to join the ruling party's senatorial lineup in Eleksyon 2022.

This development comes a month after Cusi's group ousted Pacquiao as PDP-Laban party president.

"May mga kinakausap kami na malalapit sa kanya..(We are talking to his allies...). We want to lead the senatorial lineup so I think, he should consider," Matibag said over Sandra Aguinaldo "24 Oras" report on Tuesday night.

Senate bets

In the same statement, it also bared a partial list of its senatorial slate. They are:

• Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta;
• Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan
• Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo
• Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
• Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar

Ron Munsayac, PDP-Laban executive director and part of the Pimentel faction, questioned the names included in the list.

In a statement Wednesday, Munsayac pointed out that the persons were not even members of the ruling party.

"With regards to the five names floated to form part of the PDP-Laban senatorial slate, these fine gentlemen aren't even members of the party, how can they be our candidates for the Senate?" Munsayac said.

"It's pretty obvious that our new members who 'hijacked' the PDP-Laban aren't aware of the party's principles and processes," he added.

'Smokescreen'

Meanwhile, Munsayac reiterated that the possible tandem of Senator Bong Go and Duterte in the coming elections is just a smokescreen or distraction for their real candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

"It's very impossible that the right hand of the President will go against his boss' daughter," Munsayac said.

"This tandem is merely a distraction to shield their 'real' candidate from political attacks and to weaken the PDP-Laban with this decoy candidacy," he added.

Munsayac expressed belief that the Go-Duterte tandem could actually withdraw from the race and "issue very clear and firm orders to their campaign machinery and supporters to vote for Sara Duterte as president instead of him."

However, it was revealed on Wednesday that Duterte also said during the same taped address that he and Go will not run for vice president and president, respectively, if Sara pursues her plan to seek the presidency in 2022.

That part, however, was edited out of the tape. —KBK, GMA News