The faction led by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III within the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) ousted on Sunday President Rodrigo Duterte as the party chairman.

Duterte is part of the faction whose members includes newly-elected PDP-Laban president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, while Pimentel’s faction has Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao as one of its allies.

PDP-Laban Execuctive Director Ron Munsayac said the ouster of Duterte as party chairman was effected during a national council meeting held by “original” party members on Sunday afternoon. This means that effective Sunday, Pimentel is the PDP-Laban chairman.

“It was attended by our national and regional officers and national committee chairmen led by party president and our ‘Pambansang Kamao’ Senator Manny Pacquiao, who is currently airborne on his way home here,” he said in a message to reporters.

“The PDP-Laban National Council elected Senator Koko Pimentel as its chairman and former Gov. Lutgardo Barbo as vice chairman,” Munsayac added.

The latest move by the Pimentel faction comes as the group of Duterte is set to formally declare its standard bearer for the 2022 polls, or Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go for presidential and Duterte for vice presidential.

Duterte has already accepted the nomination to run for vice president under PDP-Laban in 2022.