PDP-Laban has plans for Labella

CEBU, Philippines — Amid the controversy on who should be the recognized president of PDP-Laban Cebu City chapter, the party’s membership committee vice chairman Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Daniel Ebarle Mercado announced that a reorganization of PDP-Laban’s local chapter might happen soon.

The request for restructuring will be presented to the PDP-Laban national headquarters for approval.

“The restructuring which I mentioned in my previous interviews has not started yet. As I’ve said, there will be a restructuring, he (Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella) will be taking over,” he said via phone interview.

Mercado said having two presidents is not acceptable.

“No, hindi possible yan. There should only be one president. We are talking about Cebu City, provincial and regional, we have different chapters, isang presidente lang dapat,” he said.

Mercado said PDP-Laban has plans for Labella but he refused to elaborate.  Lorna Bacalla, the party president before Labella’s appointment, said she is not informed that that the vice mayor underwent BMS and she believes that his reported appointment as the new president is “fake news.”

“I have not been informed that Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella has taken his BMS. What I know is that the BMS is already downloaded to the local councils, not at the national level anymore. So his allegation that he was appointed as Cebu City Council president is fake news,” she said.

As of press time, Bacalla has not received Labella’s appointment papers and therefore, she concluded that she is still the legitimate president of PDP-Laban Cebu City chapter.

Labella, for his part, said he will clarify the issue but he sees no problem with the present situation.

“I will really have to clarify this but I have really no problem, especially that I was informed that they are elected as PDP-Laban members primarily for the purpose of presidential election and at the same time to advance the president’s agenda of federalism, fight against illegal drugs and fight against corruption,” he told The FREEMAN.

Last March 7, Labella and Barug PDP-Laban affiliated officials completed the Basic Membership Seminar in Manila officiated by Undersecretary Attorney Ryan Estevez of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

The membership and the appointment of Labella as the president of PDP-Laban Cebu City Chapter became an issue recently after the existing set of officers did not recognize him because of non-completion of BMS.

In January 17, the vice mayor took oath before House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez at the Malacañang as PDP-Laban Cebu City chapter president. (FREEMAN)