Leadership row hounds Marcos' political party

Source: MindaNews

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 8 May) -- Stalwarts of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) rushed to resolve an internal dispute barely five months before the start of the election period and filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 2025 mid-term polls.

The PFP leadership wrangle emerged after party leaders and members held a general assembly and elected a new set of officers at a hotel in Pasig City in December 14, 2023, "to replace overstaying party officers," said one of PFP's founding officers, Assam Ulangkaya, here on Monday.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., however, refused to yield and relinquish the position of national president to lawyer Leandro Verceles Jr., Ulangkaya said. Verceles is a former governor and congressman of Catanduanes in the Bicol region.

Both Tamayo and Verceles have asserted they have the support of the majority of party members and are serving in accordance with the PFP's constitution and by-laws.

Tamayo said his three-year term has yet to end this year, but, the group of Verceles said the term is only for two years and Tamayo's already ended on September 18, 2023, citing provisions of the PFP constitution and by-laws.

"This is where the Comelec [Commission on Elections] must come in and determine who is telling the truth," said Ulangkaya, who was elected as national auditor and vice president for Mindanao.

Marcos re-elected

Tamayo was elected PFP national president in 2019 to serve until 2020 for the one-year unexpired term of John Castriciones, who resigned. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 national assembly was moved to 2021 and held in Tupi town, where Tamayo got a fresh mandate as national president.

Verceles, on the other hand, was elected national president only last year, during the party general assembly in Pasig City.

Rejecting the Pasig-held PFP general assembly and elections, Tamayo referred to it as "illegitimate and nuisance activity by some few members and former members."

"I remain the duly elected National President of the PFP according to its Constitution and By-Laws," Tamayo posted in his social media account a day after the PFP general assembly in December.

But Ulangkaya, who attended the Pasig assembly, said it was the party's 68 officers from 17 regional party chapters who agreed to hold the elections after Tamayo failed to convene the assembly during his two-year term which lapsed on September 18, 2023.

During the assembly in Pasig City, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was re-elected PFP national chairman and his son Rep. Ferdinand Alexander as national vice-chairman.

PFP was President Marcos' political party when he ran for office in 2022. The party was organized in General Santos City in 2016, Ulangkaya said.

Aside from Verceles who was elected national president, Presidential Assistant Antonio Lagdameo Jr. was elected national vice-president, Antonio Rodriguez Jr. as secretary-general, Antonio Marfori as national treasurer, Rudyard Avila III as party general counsel, Julius Caesar Aguiluz as senior political adviser.

Also elected were Manuel Andal as vice president for political affairs, Assam Ulangkaya as national auditor and vice president for Mindanao, Gabriel Sotto as vice president for Luzon, Lorenzo Sagucio Jr. as vice president for Visayas and Saida Pukunum as chairperson for international affairs.

Expired term

Ulangkaya said the PFP constitution and by-laws is explicit, specifically regarding the expired two-year term, which in Tamayo's case, concluded on September 18, 2023.

"We assert that Tamayo's holding on to the position is ultra vires," according to Ulangkaya, who disclosed that it was he who invited Tamayo to PFP in 2018 when the latter was still mayor of Tupi town. (Ultra vires: "beyond the legal power or authority of the person performing an action." Source: Cambridge Dictionary.)

On March 6, this year, the group of Verceles petitioned Comelec "to challenge the legitimacy of the authority" of Tamayo, Thompson Lantion as secretary-general and George Briones as party general counsel who, Ulangkaya said, continue to hold on to their posts beyond their two-year terms.

Verceles said the omnibus petition they filed with Comelec was to resolve an intra-party leadership dispute in accordance with Article 9-C, Section 2(5) of the 1987 Constitution.

Along with the petition is a prayer for a temporary restraining order (TRO) and Writ of Preliminary Injunction against the three.

Comelec has yet to act on the petition, Verceles said.

Marcos' attention

In an open letter published in national dailies and local newspapers last month, the newly elected officers sought the intervention of Marcos to help resolve the ongoing issue and "avoid a vacuum in party leadership."

The letter called the attention of the President to the reluctance of Tamayo to engage in a mediation aimed at settling the leadership dispute, despite proposals for resolution based on the party's constitution and by-laws.

Verceles' group has alleged in the letter about fake documents that Tamayo's camp has submitted to Comelec.

"Tamayo's steadfast refusal to participate has hindered progress in achieving a harmonious transition of power," said the letter signed by national and regional party leaders.

If the leadership issue remains unresolved until October, this will result in serious repercussions, particularly in questions as to who will certify the party's official candidates, Ulangkaya pointed out.

As of posting, the camp of Tamayo has yet to respond to this reporter's message for his comment on the points raised in the open letter. (Rommel Rebollido / MindaNews)