The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) has recently announced the appointment of its new set of officers, with Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, son of the President, leading the way.
In a document obtained by The Manila Times, the PFP’s new national secretary general, former Capas, Tarlac mayor Antonio “TJ” Rodriguez Jr., informed the regional, provincial, city, and chapter officials that a directorate meeting was held on December 14. During this meeting, a new set of officers was elected in accordance with the party’s constitution and by-laws, with the aim of revitalizing the party’s status as a vibrant political force.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to serve as the party’s national chairman, while Representative Marcos has been elected as the party’s national vice chairman. Former Catanduanes Gov. Leandro Verceles Jr. has assumed the role of the new national president, replacing current president and South Cotabato governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.
The newly elected national vice president is Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., while Rodriguez takes on the position of national secretary general.
Other officers elected by the party include Antonio Marfori as national treasurer, Rudyard Avila 3rd as general counsel, Julius Caesar Aguiluz as senior political adviser, Manuel Andal as vice president for political affairs, Assam Ulangkaya as national auditor and vice president for Mindanao, Gabriel Sotto as vice president for Luzon, Lorenzo Sagucio Jr. as vice president for the Visayas, and Saida Pukunum as chairman for international affairs.
The party directorate has taken the decision to remove Tamayo, previous PFP secretary general Thompson Lantion, and party general counsel George Briones from their positions after a majority of qualified voters expressed a “resounding no-confidence vote” in their ability to continue as party officers. Additionally, the three have also been dropped as general members of the party, according to Rodriguez.
Tamayo, however, has denied being ousted as PFP’s national president in a statement posted on his official Facebook page. He explained that a few members of the party, who were allied with former executive secretary Victor Rodriguez, were removed from their positions due to their inactivity. Tamayo asserted that their removal was authorized by a resolution they themselves signed in June 2022, which granted him the authority to reorganize the party and make it the Dominant Majority Party in the country, as desired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who remains the Chairman of the Party.
Contrarily, the new officers argue that Tamayo’s authority to reorganize, as per the June 2022 resolution, either does not exist or cannot override the two-year term limit and abolish positions inconsistent with the party’s constitution. The directorate emphasizes that any inconsistency would amount to an amendment of the party constitution, which, if not followed through the proper process, would be considered void.
Verceles has also advised Tamayo to refrain from making further statements, as he has lost his membership in the party due to the no-confidence vote. In response, Tamayo declared in an interview on a local radio station in Koronadal City that those who rebelled against the party leadership and did not follow party orders were considered expelled. He also claimed to have the support of 97 percent of PFP officers nationwide, stating that the individuals installed during the meeting belonged to a “nuisance group.”
The recent appointment of new officers in the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas marks a significant development in the party’s leadership. As the party aims to rekindle its vibrancy and assert its political influence, it remains to be seen how these changes will shape its future trajectory.
Source: The Manila Times
