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Duterte skips PDP-Laban meeting at center of allies' rift

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/07/05/20161115-duterte-pacquiao-mnib-7.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte raises the hand of Sen. Emmanuel &quot;Manny&quot; Pacquiao during the latter&#x27;s courtesy call to the Chief Executive at Malacañan on Nov. 14, 2016. <em>Simeon Celi, Malacanang Photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte skipped a meeting on Monday of his political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban), which is at the center of a disagreement between its members, Malacañang said. </p><p>The party&#x27;s president Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao last week ordered PDP-Laban members to <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/27/21/pacquiao-cusi-pdp-laban-assembly">ignore</a> Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi&#x27;s call for an assembly. </p><p>But Duterte&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque on Sunday revealed it was Duterte, PDP-Laban chairman, who <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/30/21/duterte-tells-pdp-laban-vice-chair-to-lead-party-meeting-pacquiao-to-skip-event">instructed Cusi</a>, the party&#x27;s vice president, to lead the meeting.  </p><p>Roque said the meeting was &quot;not included [in the] official schedule.&quot; </p><p>The President&#x27;s schedule is already &quot;fully booked&quot; with other appointments, his spokesman said in a press briefing. </p><p>Roque said he had no information on whether or not Pacquiao has sought a meeting with Duterte over the recent events. </p><p>Pacquiao earlier this May criticized Duterte&#x27;s stance on China&#x27;s incursions in the West Philippine Sea as &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/21/duterte-stance-against-china-weakened-2016-elections-pacquiao">lacking</a>.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/21/duterte-pacquiao-pdp-laban-2022-elections">Duterte vs Pacquiao? President remains senator&#x27;s fan, says Palace</a></li></ul><p>In March, the boxing icon-turned-senator <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/12/21/not-legitimate-pacquiao-says-of-pdp-laban-members-push-for-duterte-vice-presidential-bid">chided PDP-Laban members</a> who urged Duterte to run as vice president in the 2022 elections, following suggestions that his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was gunning for the presidency. </p><p>Duterte-Carpio topped a recent survey on most preferred presidential candidates, while Pacquiao trailed at fourth place. </p><p>The Duterte patriarch, 76, is not eligible for re-election. </p><p>He has repeatedly denied that his daughter would run in the 2022 presidential race. However, he &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/27/21/rodrigo-sara-duterte-vice-president-2022-elections">leaves to God</a>&quot; whether or not he would run for vice president, at least two of his aides said last week. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/23/18/duterte-asks-who-is-this-stupid-god">Duterte asks: &#x27;Who is this stupid God?&#x27;</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/25/18/totoo-naman-duterte-defends-stupid-god-remark">‘Totoo naman’: Duterte defends ‘stupid God’ remark</a></li></ul><p>&quot;If the President thinks it is God&#x27;s will, he will make the proper announcement in due course,&quot; said Roque. </p><p>The PDP-Laban rift is &quot;not at all&quot; distracting Duterte from his duties, said his spokesman. </p><p>&quot;As you can see, life continues on in Malacañang. Meetings are scheduled, meetings will be held, decisions will be made, decisions will be announced,&quot; Roque said. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1696592" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><div><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div></div>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte skipped a meeting on Monday of his political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban), which is at the center of a disagreement between its members, Malacañang said. </p>

President Rodrigo Duterte skipped a meeting on Monday of his political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban), which is at the center of a disagreement between its members, Malacañang said.

Duterte skips PDP-Laban meeting at center of allies' rift

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Duterte skips PDP-Laban meeting at center of allies' rift

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 31, 2021 04:25 PM PHT

|

Updated May 31, 2021 04:47 PM PHT

Read More:

PDP-Laban

Manny Pacquiao

Alfonso Cusi

politics

2022 elections

Halalan 2022

Pacquiao Cusi

Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte 2022 elections

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