Duterte meets PDP-Laban leaders to fix squabble

MANILA, Philippines — Pesident Duterte met yesterday afternoon with squabbling leaders of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

The meeting was held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila and reportedly included the group that recently claimed to be the new officers of the political party, supposedly replacing former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel III and former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, as president and secretary-general of PDP-Laban, respectively.

The President, the party chairman, was expected to iron out the differences between the feuding groups within the PDP-Laban.

However, both Pimentel and Alvarez maintained they are still the legitimate officers of the party. 

Aside from Pimentel and Alvarez, Duterte will meet lawyer Rogelio Garcia who was supposedly elected as new party president when a faction of the PDP-Laban held a national assembly last July 27 at the Amoranto Amphitheater in Quezon City.

The assembly last month pushed through despite the warning from Pimentel to individuals who identify themselves as officers of the political party.

Pimentel pointed out that the Amoranto assembly was not sanctioned by the PDP-Laban party itself.

Those who participated in the national assembly would face sanctions, including expulsion, according to leaders belonging to the PDP-Laban Pimentel faction.

Also expected to attend the meeting at the Diamond Hotel was PDP-Laban vice chairman Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and other officials.