MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has created a special division to determine which PDP-Laban faction will be officially recognized by the poll body.

The political party is currently split into 2 factions: one led by Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel and another headed by President Rodrigo Duterte's ally, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

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"Iyung PDP [issue] kasi ay nag-create ang Comelec ng special division para doon," commissioner George Erwin Garcia said.

(For the PDP issue, the Comelec created a special division for that.)

Garcia said the case was initially raffled to the Comelec 2nd division, whose members include him and commissioners Rey Bulay and Marlon Casquejo.

However, Garcia inhibited from the case as he lawyered for the party before joining the Comelec.

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Garcia said the poll body hoped to decide which of the warring factions it would officially recognize before it designates the dominant majority, dominant minority, and 10 national parties.

"Pipilitin po namin sa en banc matapos hanggang Friday, makakapaglabas kami ng isang resolusyon patungkol sa kung sino ang dominant majority party, sino ang dominant minority party at sino yung 10 major parties," he added.

(We will try at the en banc to issue a resolution by Friday on the dominant majority party, who is the dominant minority party, and who are the 10 major parties.)

The poll body has established a point system for determining the dominant majority, dominant minority, 10 major national parties, and 2 major local parties in connection with the May 9 national and local elections.

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