The PDP Laban has expelled party Vice Chairman Alfonso Cusi (who is also the government’s energy secretary), Deputy Secretary-General Melvin Matibag, and Membership Committee Head Astra Naik for violating the party’s constitution by “showing allegiance to a political party apart from PDP Laban.”
The expulsion of Cusi, Matibag, and Naik was explained in one of three party resolutions issued by Party President Sen. Manny Pacquiao and the PDP Laban National Executive Committee (NEC), which constitutes the highest administrative and executive body of the party.
A separate resolution was issued by the NEC to authorize Pacquiao to create investigation committees which will probe complaints about party members who may have violated the party constitution or may have committed acts inimical to the party by showing allegiance to another party.
Another resolution was issued to declare the nullity of the March 31, 2021 meeting and the scheduled July 17, 2021 assembly of the PDP Laban National Council that was called for by Cusi and Matibag.
The three resolutions were issued by the NEC in response to a manifesto signed by more than 10,000 grassroots members of PDP Laban who condemned “this systematic and underhanded effort by some party newcomers and a handful of party officers to sabotage the present leadership, so they may advance a political movement that is against the best interest of our beloved party.”
Under its Resolution No. 6 dated June 12, 2021, the NEC formally removed Cusi, Matibag, and Naik from the party for violating Article VII, Section 6 of the party constitution which specifically prohibits members from maintaining any allegiance to another political party.
“Vice Chairman Cusi is already manipulating the party to support the Duterte-Duterte tandem, which is a blatant admission of supporting Sara Duterte Carpio for President, who is not a member of the Party,” the resolution stated.
“He is guilty of having allegiance to a candidate and her political ideals and party. Such a candidate does not even believe in federalism, her party fielded candidates against and opposed official candidates of PDP-Laban in the 2019 elections, and she is vehemently opposed to joining the PDP-Laban Party.”
With their expulsion, “all rights and privileges of Cusi, Matibag, and Naik as members of the Party and all their positions or authorities in the Party are likewise immediately terminated. “
The members “were likewise directed to cease and desist from following, supporting, or giving legitimacy to any directive, resolution, notices, communications, or actions of Vice Chairman Alfonso Cusi, Ms. Astra Naik, and Atty. Melvin Matibag related to or derived and resulting from the aforementioned acts and the meeting held on May 31, 2021.”
Apart from the expulsion of Cusi, Matibag, and Naik, the PDP Laban NEC also issued Resolution No 4 which authorizes Pacquiao to “direct, organize, create, and appoint investigation committees from the National Committees” to deal with complaints and information regarding certain officers and members of the party who may have violated the party constitution or may have committed acts inimical to the party by showing allegiance to another party.
The resolution also states: “There is a need for PDP Laban to take appropriate actions by reason of the exigencies brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the unauthorized and illegal acts committed by some of its officers and members with the insidious purpose of illegally wresting control over the Party by violating the Party Constitution, violating the law, sowing confusion, fostering friction, creating divide within the Party, and showing allegiance to another Party.”
The PDP Laban likewise issued Resolution No. 5 which declares that under the party’s charter, Cusi does not have the power to call for a National Council meeting because Article XVII, Section 1 of the PDP Laban Constitution provides “that only the President of the party is authorized to sign documents in behalf of the National Council and the Party.” (PR) – jlo
