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Camp of Atty. Leandro Verceles has not lost hope, believing in the correctness of their position as the legitimate PFP
- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
SAN JUAN CITY (SDN) September 14, 2024 — The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) that former Catanduanes governor Leandro Verceles leads plans to file a Motion for Reconsideration (MR) after learning of a decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Verceles, also a former congressman of the Bicol Region province, told a select group of journalists in an interview today, Saturday, they received an email from the poll body on its decision favoring the PFP Camp of South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo.
It can be recalled that Verceles’ Camp filed an Omnibus Petition before the Comelec that challenged Tamayo, et al’s leadership of the fragmented PFP.
The PFP is the party that catapulted then senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to the presidency in the national and local elections on May 9, 2022.
It was Assam Ulangkaya, PFP vice president for Mindanao, who signed the PFP membership form of Marcos.
Officers of the PFP under Verceles conducted a National Assembly Saturday at Club Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila, gathering the party’s regional and provincial officers.
The former governor and congressman of Bicol Region said in an interview at the sidelines of the assembly that they will meet and confer with their lawyer to determine the course of their action, relative to the poll body’s decision.
Until the Comelec decision becomes final and executory, he said his camp will continue to accept members and carry the PFP’s name.
When the decision becomes final and executory, Verceles said they will then transform into a movement and called it “PFP+Convenors’ Group” in respect to the Comelec’s decision.
He said they respect the decision but reiterated their plan to file an MR and continue to challenge the legitimacy of Tamayo’s leadership, until it reaches the Supreme Court.
Verceles and Ulangkaya hosted the National Assembly of the PFP.
The gathering was informal and focused on building camaraderie and advancing discussions on key matters and issues revolving around the PFP’s future as it faces a host of challenges.
At the assembly, the attendees recognized PFP National Treasurer Antonio Marfori; Vice President for Luzon Gabriel Sotto; Edwin Chiong, National Chairman for Region XI; Janet Ong, National Capital Region Chairman; Alfred Soriano; TJ Rodriguez, Secretary General, and Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.
Also given due recognition were Rudy Golez, Jr., Yolly Simon, Alexander Agustin of Region XI, Vincent Tangcasis, and Col. Jojo Montañer, PFP chairman, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
They tackled matters about the change of the term of office, which the Verceles Camp opposes, as well as 40 percent of the quorum.
Members who have joined the government will relinquish their respective post and will be replaced as they cannot anymore function in the party.
The National Executive Committee was duly authorized to do the process.
The National President or the Secretary General issued the CONA (Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance).
Likewise recognized were other Regional and provincial PFP officials.
“There are 17 regions and 500,000-strong on this side of the equator, so to speak,” Verceles said, referring to the over half a million strength of his PFP faction.
Verceles noted that the PFP was organized in 2018. Under the party’s Constitution and By-Laws (CBL) the term of office of executive officers is only for two years.
There are now two factions — Verceles Camp and Tamayo Camp.
In the latest decision of the Comelec, the petition filed by the Verceles Camp was denied “for lack of merit.”
Verceles argued that the documents of the Tamayo Camp “were falsified on the basis that the documents were just a ‘xeroxed’ copy of the printed copy of the documents and not the original copy.”
“We will submit a motion for reconsideration and later on, with the Supreme Court,” Verceles said.
He added that the PFP will have to proceed with the release of CONAs.
“Everything is up in the air,” Verceles said. He was referring to the decision of the Comelec on their petition, which recognized the Tamayo Camp.
“We can still exercise the same function now because we are 500,000-strong,” he said, adding that, “Tony Marfori and I are members of the Marcoleta for Senator Movement.”
Rep. Rodante Marcoleta is reportedly running for Senator in the May 2025 mid-term elections.
Verceles stressed that they shall continue the movement and its advocacy for federalism, and being anti-ccorruption, anti-terrorism, anti-illegal drugs as it will transform into the “PFP Plus Convenors Group”.
He pointed out that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should take cognizance of the fact that the “grassroots level” empowers the party and not the leaders themselves.
“The bottom line, we will continue with the CONA,” Verceles said.
PFP, party of and for ordinary people, not of elites
Uangkaya noted that the PFP was established in April 2018.
He stressed that Engr. Anthony Marfori initially “bankrolled” and the one who spent Php3 million for the Comelec accreditation of the PFP as a national political party.
Engr. Marfori confirmed that Gen. Tom Lantion was his friend for the past 25 years and George Briones was his lawyer.
He noted that Verceles filed a petition on the two-year term of office of PFP officers based on PFP Constitution and By-Laws, wherein the Comelec ruled with 6-0 votes in favor of the Tamayo Camp, a copy of which, was emailed to Verceles.
Verceles also noted that charges for falsification of public documents and forgery were filed against Tamayo, Tom Lantion, and George Briones by his camp before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office.
The advocacy of the PFP will continue, Verceles said, especially their participation in the May 2025 mid-term elections.
“There is really a political factor in this case,” he said.
Marfori, Gabby Sotto, Arch. Butch Baliao of NCR and Vincent Tangcasis were present during the PFP meeting in 2018.
Former TESDA Director General Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu also provided resources for the Mindanao-wide convention of the PFP.
Assam Ulangkaya has previously told Marcos that the PFP is the party of the labors, manicurists, vendors, drivers, fishermen, farmers, retired government employees and officials, with millions of ordinary volunteers in the barangays or grassroots level.
He criticized Tamayo for recruiting members to the PFP who were vehement anti-Marcos, and the original members were taken for granted.
Ulangkaya claimed that Tamayo did not sacrifice anything for the PFP.
“Mindanao will definitely take a stand on an issue affecting the country,” Ulangkaya said. He added that Sec. Suharto Mangudadatu spent for the PFP even if he was not a member of the political party.
Architect Baliao cited that during the 2017 MRRD (Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte) Anniversary in Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte suggested to put up a political party for the 2019 mid-term elections.
“In 2018, 107 of us established the PFP in Calatagan, Batangas,” Baliao said.
“This party continuously supports this government. I’m not asking you to join but at least take a stand,” Baliao said. (/)
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Update: Sept. 15, more details were added in the story, as well as replacing the banner photograph.