The faction within the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has expelled Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao for “disloyalty, betrayal, and abandonment.”

Cusi is the current party president.

The PDP-Laban faction claimed that Pacquiao filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) to run for president under the Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives (Promdi) is a ground for expulsion from the party.

“The PDP Laban National Executive Committee met October 1 and a resolution was approved automatically expelling Senator Pacquaio from PDP-Laban in accordance with the party constitution,” PDP-Laban Secretary-General Melvin Matibag said.

“Senator Pacquiao claims that he is the legitimate President of PDP-Laban and even called his own National Assembly where he accepted their so-called proclamation as presidential candidate and yet he is running for president under Promdi. Let’s call a spade a spade. If that is not disloyalty, betrayal, and abandonment of PDP Laban, I don’t know what is,” Matibag added.

While Pacquiao filed his candidacy under Promdi, his overall support base is under MP3 that also counts the People’s Champ Movement and PDP-Laban. MP is the popular acronym of Manny Pacquiao.

Matibag said that what Pacquiao did showed he never really believed in the party’s principles.

“The party was only a vehicle for his over-bearing presidential ambition. When it was no longer useful to him, iniwan na niya kami (he left us),” he said.