THE Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the Commission on Elections recognizing the faction of the PDP-Laban, led by former president Rodrigo Duterte and former Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi, over the group led by former senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Manny Pacquiao.
In en banc decision dated July 8, 2025 and penned by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, the SC dismissed the petition filed by Pimentel and Pacquiao challenging the Comelec decision.
“Accordingly, the petition for certiorari is dismissed and the application for issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction is denied,” read the SC decision.
The rift between the two wings of PDP-Laban started when the Cusi faction did not support the candidacy of Pacquiao in the 2022 presidential elections. The Cusi wing endorsed another candidate who is not a member of the party.
As a result, the National Executive Committee (NEC) led by Pimentel and Pacquiao passed a resolution advising the party’s National Council (NC) to ask Cusi why he should not be expelled for his action which they said went against the party’s interest.
On May 31, 2021, the NC met with Cusi in Cebu City, as authorized by Duterte as the party chairman, and appointed Melvin Matibag as acting secretary general.
Meanwhile, the NEC led by Pimentel expelled Cusi and Matibag and declared their party positions vacant.
Pimentel, whose father former senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel III co-founded the party in 1982, was then elected the party’s acting chairperson due to Duterte’s continued absence.
In July 2021 the Cusi-wing held its own national assembly which Duterte attended in person. New officers were also elected, including Cusi as president while Duterte retained the chairperson position.
In September 2021, the Pimentel group also held its own assembly where they endorsed the presidential candidacy of Pacquiao as PDP-Laban bet in the 2022 elections.
This prompted the Cusi group to ask the Comelec to declare the Pimentel wing as illegitimate. The poll body then ruled in favor of Cusi, with the SC upholding the decision.
In affirming the Comelec ruling, the SC said Duterte’s filing of candidacy for the 2022 elections under Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan party does not invalidate his actions as PDP-Laban chairman in party meetings and assembly in 2021.
It stressed that the Comelec did not commit grave abuse of discretion in its 2022 and 2023 resolutions favoring the Duterte and Cusi faction.
The SC also pointed out that the resolution naming Pimentel as acting chairperson was void as Duterte did not authorize him to preside over the party’s meeting.
“This is in contrast with the May 31, 2021 National Council meeting held by the Cusi-led faction where the call for the meeting was made by Duterte by way of the memorandum dated May 17, 2021,” the SC said.
The high court further clarified that under the party’s constitution, the vice chair may take over the chairperson’s duties in case of absence or incapacity.
Even if there were procedural issues such as lack of coordination with Pacquiao and defective notices of meeting, the high court ruled the meeting as valid because a proper quorum was present.
“Out of 162 voting members, 126 or 80 percent attended, which far exceeds the 40 percent quorum,” the SC said, adding that according to the party’s constitution, any defect in giving notice does not invalidate the proceedings if the proper quorum exists.
