The Supreme Court (SC) announced on Wednesday its decision resolving the leadership dispute in Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) that has persisted since 2021.
In a 25-page decision promulgated on July 8, 2025, the SC en banc recognized the group led by Alfonso Cusi and Melvin Matibag as the legitimate leaders of the political party.
The case stemmed from a petition filed by former senators Aquilino ’’Koko’’ Pimentel III and Manny Pacquiao, who questioned the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) recognition of the Cusi-led faction.
‘‘It is precisely the Pimentel-led faction’s alleged right to be recognized as the true and official members of PDP-Laban that is at the heart of the dispute.
Such being the case, granting Pimentel and Pacquiao’s application for injunctive relief would have preempted the Court’s ruling on the principal issue raised in their petition,†the decision read.
The high tribunal held there was no grave abuse of discretion by the Comelec in giving due course to the Cusi petition despite procedural flaws. It stressed that the poll body has the discretion to relax its rules in the interest of justice and speedy case resolution.
The SC also affirmed the legal standing of Cusi and Matibag to file their petition before the Comelec.
It ruled that the poll body did not abuse its authority in upholding resolutions validating the national council meetings and assembly led by the Cusi group, noting that the sessions met quorum requirements.
The SC further declared void the actions of the Pimentel group expelling Cusi and Matibag and appointing Pimentel as acting chairperson, ruling that the party’s National Executive Committee does not have such powers under the PDP-Laban constitution.
