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Duterte 'recognizes' Cusi's PDP-Laban leadership, despite expulsion from party

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/07/12/20180601-duterte-pagbilao-mnib-9.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Roa Duterte listens to the briefing given by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi during the inauguration of the 420-MW Pagbilao Unit 3 Power Project in Pagbilao, Quezon on May 31, 2018. <em>Toto Lozano, Malacañang Photo/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte &quot;recognizes&quot; Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi&#x27;s leadership of the PDP-Laban, Malacañang said on Monday, despite the latter&#x27;s expulsion from their political party following a feud with fellow stalwart Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao. </p><p>Cusi and 2 other officials were <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/09/21/pdp-laban-expels-cusi-2-other-officials-amid-growing-rift-with-pacquiao">expelled</a> from PDP-Laban last week, just days after the Energy chief urged Duterte to run for vice president—a possible candidacy that Pacquiao, the party&#x27;s president, has rejected. </p><p>&quot;All I can say is what the President has said on the matter. We will resolve all existing disputes within PDP-Laban legally,&quot; said Duterte&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque. </p><p>Duterte will attend the July 17 PDP-Laban National Assembly led by Cusi, said Roque. Pacquiao&#x27;s camp earlier said the event was &quot;unauthorized.&quot; </p><p>&quot;All I can say is he (Duterte) recognizes the leadership of Secretary Cusi and that is why he will attend the party special meeting on July 17,&quot; Roque said in a press briefing. </p><p>Asked if the President recognizes Cusi&#x27;s expulsion, his spokesman said, &quot;Mukhang hindi po dahil planong mag-attend ni Presidente ng PDP-Laban meeting sa 17.&quot; </p><p>(It doesn&#x27;t appear that way because the President plans to attend the meeting on the 17th.) </p><p>Duterte and Pacquiao, once close allies, figured in a surprise word war in late June after the President threatened to expose the boxing superstar-turned-senator as a liar, if the latter failed to prove his claim that the current administration is supposedly thrice more corrupt that its predecessors. </p><p>Pacquiao previously criticized Duterte&#x27;s foreign policy, rejected his potential vice presidency, and asked the President&#x27;s daughter Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to seek replacing her father in 2022. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/07/05/21/manny-pacquiao-duterte-2022-elections">Pacquiao is hindrance to Duterte’s staying in power beyond June 2022</a></li></ul><p>In a meeting with Cusi and other allies last week, Duterte, who is PDP-Laban chairman, said he was slight &quot;sold&quot; to the idea of running for vice president and picking his running mate. </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=1725479" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar"><div><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div></div><div><strong>TO RUN OR NOT TO RUN?</strong></div><p>Temario Rivera, head of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance, said Duterte&#x27;s motivation to remain in power is obvious - to avoid jail and courtrooms.</p><p>Political vendettas are common in the Philippines and former leaders, minus their immunity of office, have been prosecuted and even jailed after changes in power.</p><p>&quot;The question facing him is what is the best strategy to deal with that existential problem,&quot; Rivera said.</p><p>Duterte has repeatedly baited the International Criminal Court (ICC) and dared it to put him on trial for crimes against humanity. The ICC&#x27;s prosecutor has since sought the go-ahead to launch a formal investigation into the drugs war killings.</p><p>&quot;The strategy for Duterte is to make sure that the opposition does not win,&quot; Rivera said.</p><p>&quot;The ICC can now proceed with their investigation in a clearer manner if you have an opposition president in power.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/22/21/duterte-icc-probe-bullshit-drug-war">Duterte calls ICC drug probe ‘bulls**t’, says he won’t defend self before ‘white people’</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/28/21/icc-crimes-vs-humanity-duterte-drug-war">ICC begins accepting information on Duterte’s drug war</a></li></ul><p> &quot;There is no legal impediment&quot; against Duterte&#x27;s possible vice presidential bid, Roque said last week. </p><p>The constitution states the President shall not be eligible for any re-election. &quot;President Duterte is not running for the same office and same position,&quot; said Roque, a lawyer. </p><p>&quot;A careful reading of the Constitution would reveal that there is no expressed prohibition for the sitting President to run for a lower public office position,&quot; he said in a statement. </p><p>&quot;Under the plain meaning rule or verba legis, if the statute is clear, plain and free from ambiguity, it must be given its literal meaning and applied without interpretation.&quot; </p><p>Groups challenging the legality of Duterte’s vice-presidential bid to &quot;may rightfully do so as long as they have the legal standing,&quot; said Roque.</p><p>&quot;However, it is is still premature considering the President has not made up his mind and filed his certificate of candidacy,&quot; he added. </p><div><strong>— With reports from Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News; Reuters </strong></div>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte "recognizes" Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi's leadership of the PDP-Laban, Malacañang said on Monday, despite the latter's expulsion from their political party following a fead with fellow stalwart Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao. <br /> </p>

President Rodrigo Duterte "recognizes" Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi's leadership of the PDP-Laban, Malacañang said on Monday, despite the latter's expulsion from their political party following a fead with fellow stalwart Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao.