Supreme Court Affirms Leadership of Alfonso Cusi Faction in PDP-Laban Dispute

The Supreme Court has delivered a definitive ruling on the internal leadership conflict within the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), endorsing the authority of the faction headed by former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Melvin Matibag.

In a decision dated July 8, 2025, authored by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, the court dismissed the petition filed by former senators Koko Pimentel III and Manny Pacquiao. The petition challenged the Commission on Elections’ recognition of the Cusi faction’s leadership.

The dispute originated in 2021 when ideological and leadership divisions arose within PDP-Laban, then chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte, with Cusi serving as vice chairperson. Tensions escalated when Pacquiao, serving as party president, declared his presidential candidacy for the 2022 elections. Concurrently, Cusi faced accusations of endorsing a candidate outside the party’s official slate, prompting the Pimentel-Pacquiao group to expel Cusi and Matibag.

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the May 31, 2021 National Council meeting that was contested by the Pimentel faction. Under the party’s charter, the vice chairperson is empowered to assume the chairperson’s role in their absence—a role Cusi performed. This authority was reinforced by a May 17, 2021 memorandum from Duterte, delegating leadership to Cusi for the meeting.

While the petitioners cited procedural irregularities, including inadequate notice and lack of coordination with Pacquiao, the court found the meeting legitimate. It highlighted that 126 out of 162 voting members participated, surpassing the quorum requirement of 40% by a significant margin. The party constitution further states that procedural defects, such as defective notices, do not invalidate proceedings if a quorum is present.

The ruling states, "Considering that the National Council meeting held on May 31, 2021 is valid, the resolutions passed and acts done by the Cusi-led faction during the said meeting, some of which led to the conduct of the July 16, 2021 National Council meeting and July 17, 2021 National Assembly, are likewise valid, having been agreed upon by the chairman and the overwhelming majority of the National Council membership."

Furthermore, the court declared the expulsion of Cusi and Matibag by the Pimentel group void. The contested expulsions failed to meet constitutional requirements, including the mandated two-thirds vote of the disciplinary authority. The court noted, "Consequently, the NEC's issuance of NEC Resolution No. 06 expelling them from PDP-Laban is ultra vires."

This judgment effectively consolidates the leadership of the Cusi faction within PDP-Laban, ending years of internal strife and paving the way for unified party governance.