Acting Chairman Alfonso Cusi has issued a categorical denial that the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP Laban) participated in or sanctioned recent social media campaigns targeting former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, who ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2025. The Wednesday statement aims to quash rumors of internal discord within the Duterte-aligned political movement.
Through official party channels, Cusi dismissed as “unfounded” any attempts to connect PDP Laban with the online exchanges that have generated widespread speculation about potential fractures in the broader Duterte coalition.
Official Statement Addresses Online Speculation
The April 8, 2026 statement directly addressed circulating reports about the social media controversy: “PDP Laban has received reports of recent online statements and exchanges involving Atty. Vic Rodriguez. For clarity, neither PDP Laban nor any of its officers has anything to do with the attacks against Atty. Rodriguez, and any attempt to link them to the party is unfounded.”
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Cusi emphasized that any individuals or groups targeting Rodriguez in online forums are “acting independently and without the authority or consent of PDP Laban, and they do not speak for the party.”
The statement comes as political observers monitor the stability of alliances within the Duterte political bloc, particularly as multiple high-profile battles play out simultaneously on different fronts.
Rodriguez’s Independent Status Clarified
While acknowledging Rodriguez’s connection to the party through his inclusion in the original “Duterte 8” senatorial slate for the 2025 midterm elections, Cusi clarified the attorney’s current relationship with PDP Laban. Rodriguez “remains independent of PDP Laban and does not participate in the party’s decision-making processes,” the acting chairman stated.
This clarification appears designed to establish clear boundaries regarding Rodriguez’s role while maintaining that his guest candidate status in 2025 did not constitute full party membership or ongoing organizational involvement.
Personal Meeting Counters Conflict Narrative
In what appears to be a strategic personal revelation, Cusi disclosed that he had recently held a face-to-face meeting with Rodriguez, asserting there was “no basis to manufacture conflict or attribute to PDP Laban any actions that are not ours.”
This disclosure directly challenges speculation about strained relationships between party leadership and Rodriguez, who has maintained high visibility within Duterte-aligned circles since departing the Marcos administration.
Background on Rodriguez’s Political Trajectory
After serving as chief of staff and Executive Secretary to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the 2022 campaign, Rodriguez departed the administration and later sought a Senate seat under PDP Laban’s banner in May 2025. Though unsuccessful in that electoral bid, he has continued championing causes associated with Duterte allies.
His ongoing involvement with Hakbang ng Maisug, a socio-political organization that has coordinated prayer rallies and freedom concerts supporting former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte, has kept him prominent in pro-Duterte advocacy efforts.
Continued Partnership with Allied Organizations
Despite the Rodriguez controversy, Cusi reaffirmed PDP Laban’s ongoing collaboration with like-minded groups, specifically mentioning Hakbang ng Maisug by name.
“PDP Laban maintains constructive relations with various groups — including Hakbang ng Maisug — that share key advocacies,” the statement confirmed.
This explicit endorsement signals that whatever online disputes may have emerged, they have not disrupted institutional relationships between PDP Laban and other organizations in the Duterte coalition.
Shared Platform Defines Coalition Unity
Cusi outlined the four-point platform that continues to unite the various Duterte-aligned organizations and movements throughout 2026.
The agenda begins with advocating for former President Rodrigo Duterte’s return from The Hague, where International Criminal Court proceedings continue. It includes demanding accountability regarding the flood control scandal and related corruption controversies that have captured national attention.
The platform also encompasses opposition to impeachment efforts targeting Vice President Sara Duterte, who faces mounting political challenges from multiple directions. Finally, it addresses the need for proactive measures to manage the oil supply crisis, exacerbated by ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts affecting global energy markets.
These unified priorities serve as the foundation binding PDP Laban, Hakbang ng Maisug, and allied movements under common cause.
Coalition Faces Multiple Pressures
The clarifying statement emerges during a period of heightened pressure for the broader Duterte coalition. Rodriguez himself has weathered significant challenges, including a 2025 disbarment case alleging client confidentiality violations related to disclosures in his published book.
Last September, Rodriguez was among Duterte allies mentioned in media coverage following violent Mendiola riots in Manila, though he publicly rejected any connection to the incidents and Hakbang ng Maisug officially distanced itself from the violence.
Historical Context of Party Divisions
PDP Laban’s internal dynamics have historically been marked by factional competition, most prominently the 2021 schism between the Pacquiao-Pimentel faction and the Cusi-Duterte faction. Commission on Elections decisions ultimately recognized the Cusi-led group as the party’s legitimate leadership structure.
Given this background of internal tensions, Cusi’s current intervention takes on added significance as an attempt to prevent similar fractures from developing around the Rodriguez situation.
Appeal for Strategic Focus
Cusi concluded his statement with a call for disciplined priorities among supporters and allied organizations, urging concentration on substantive objectives rather than allowing peripheral disputes to undermine larger goals.
“We urge all parties to engage responsibly, avoid unnecessary divisions, and remain focused on addressing the urgent challenges facing our nation and the everyday needs of the Filipino people,” he stated.
The intervention represents a calculated effort to prevent online controversies from creating genuine organizational rifts within the Duterte political network at a time when the coalition is actively pursuing multiple simultaneous campaigns across different battlegrounds.
Cusi’s message to party members emphasizes unity preservation, objective focus, and resistance to what he characterizes as artificially manufactured conflicts that could distract from more significant political confrontations ahead.
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