Koko: Cusi faction reserving slot for presidential bet to outsider

MANILA, Philippines — The PDP-Laban group led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi Jr. is reserving the slot for its presidential candidate for an “outsider,” the faction’s secret agenda on why it has yet to reveal its standard bearer for the 2022 elections, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said yesterday.

Pimentel, chairman of the PDP-Laban wing backing the presidential candidacy of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, said the fact that Cusi’s group could not reveal up to now or was not transparent about who their standard bearer is, means they are having trouble implementing their “secret agenda.”

“Up to now their candidate is a secret, most likely who is not a member… that’s our prediction six months ago. Up to now the presidential candidate position remains vacant,” said Pimentel, son and namesake of one of the founders of the 39-year-old party.

He said the presidential candidate of the Cusi faction would be revealed on or before Oct. 8, the last day of filing of the certificates of candidacy (COC).

However, the public must remain vigilant as candidate switching is still allowed up to Nov. 15, he said.

He said it was both puzzling and suspicious that the other faction earlier made much noise, including holding a national assembly in September, in nominating Sen. Bong Go as presidential candidate and President Duterte as his runningmate.

He noted that Go formally and publicly declined the nomination.

But over the weekend, the public was surprised with Go filing his COC for vice president and Duterte announcing he would retire from politics, he said.