(UPDATE) A faction of PDP-Laban that is supporting President Rodrigo Duterte's vice presidential bid has asked the Commission on Election to declare a rival faction as "illegitimate", ratcheting up tensions within one of the country's oldest political parties.
The bloc led by Duterte's energy chief, Alfonso Cusi, accused the other group that includes Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III of "usurping party authority and pretending to be representatives of our party."
"The matter is now with the Comelec and we will let the established law, rules and regulations prevail. We shall refrain from discussing the specific issues raised in our petition out of respect to the commission," Melvin Matibag, the faction's secretary general, told reporters.
PDP-Laban was co-founded by Pimentel's father, the late former Sen. Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. It served as the vehicle for Duterte's 2016 campaign. Pacquiao joined the party only recently.
The Cusi group's petition also asked Comelec to junk the Pacquiao camp's Sworn Information Update Statements, which contains the list of party officers.
It also urged the poll body to issue a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction against Pacquiao, Pimentel and their allies to "desist from performing unauthorized acts in behalf of PDP-Laban."
The petition was filed ahead of the Cusi group's national convention in Pampanga on Wednesday, where they are expected to finalize their plans for the 2022 elections.
President Duterte, the party's chairman, is set to preside over the assembly to be physically attended by some 400 members.
Pacquiao's camp earlier removed the President as the party chairman and elected Pimentel to replace him.
In response, the Pacquiao camp said Pimentel's leadership in PDP-Laban is recognized by grassroots and senior members of the party who have upheld the principles of the group since it was founded in 1982.
"Sen. Manny Pacquiao continues to enjoy the confidence of the PDP-Laban stalwarts. Any statement to the contrary is a lame attempt to undermine the public’s trust in his leadership and anti-corruption advocacy," it added.
The fighting senator, who is reported to be vying for the presidency in the 2022 polls, was earlier removed as acting president of PDP-Laban by the Cusi wing during their national assembly last July. Cusi himself was elected by his faction as president of the party.