Boxing icon turned senator Manny Pacquiao retaliated against Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in a privilege speech, two days after the latter defied Pacquiao’s authority as acting president of the ruling party PDP-Laban.

On Wednesday, June 2, Pacquiao took a jab at Cusi for allegedly focusing on the infighting in PDP-Laban instead of addressing the rotational blackouts that are currently affecting parts of Luzon.

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Both Pacquiao and Cusi are allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is also chairman of PDP-Laban. 

“But this advice is, I think, very important na unahin na muna natin yung trabaho natin, saka na ‘yung pulitika. Kaya nagdivide-divide, divided yung mga tao because of that politics,” said Pacquiao.

(But this advice is, I think, very important that you do your job first, politics later. The reason why the people are divided right now is because of politics.)

“So saka na nating pag-usapan ‘yung pulitika pagka may eleksyon. Pero hangga’t walang eleksyon, wala pang eleksyon, ‘wag muna tayong mag-usap ng pulitika. Pag-usapan natin kung paano tayo makaka-contribute at paano natin maresolba ang problema ng ating bansa,” added the senator.

(Let’s just talk about politics when the elections come. But as long as the elections aren’t here yet, let’s not talk politics. Let’s talk about how we are going to contribute to resolving the problems of our country first.)

Pacquiao pointed out that the blackouts were an inconvenience to Filipinos, especially to the poor who have no money to buy their own generators. 

The senator also mentioned that three of his colleagues had to go offline during the hybrid plenary session on Tuesday, June 1, because they were affected by the brownouts, too.

This is the first time for Pacquiao to face the public since the Cusi faction in PDP-Laban decided to push through with the party’s national council meeting in Cebu City on Monday, May 31, despite Pacquiao’s attempts to stop it from happening. 

Pacquiao argued Cusi had no authority to convene the PDP-Laban national council. But the senator had to stand down after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said no less than Duterte himself ordered Cusi to call for the meeting. 

Cusi presided over the PDP-Laban national council meeting on the same day the Luzon grid was placed under red alert and several barangays began experiencing brownouts. 

Cusi was thus noticeably absent when the Department of Energy (DOE) held a press conference to address the media’s questions on how the government will address the country’s thin power supply amid higher demands for electricity. 

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Nasaan si Cusi? DOE chief presides at party meeting amid Luzon blackouts

In the PDP-Laban meeting, the party adopted a resolution urging Duterte to run for president in the 2022 elections and to choose his candidate for president.

Pacquiao is rumored be gunning for the presidency himself, but he has so far been coy about his 2022 plans.

Pacquiao calls Cusi ‘incompetent’

In his speech, Pacquiao seemed to be insinuating that because Cusi had been preoccupied with PDP-Laban, the DOE chief was not able to anticipate the rotational blackouts in Luzon. 

Pacquiao recalled a Senate hearing held last April 27, when Cusi gave assurances to senators that there would no brownouts during the dry season this year. 

“Napakarami po nating problema na dapat nating harapin at hanapan ng solusyon. Pero nakakalungkot isipin na ‘yung ibang mga opisyales natin na dapat ay mangasiwa ng sitwasyon ng mga problema natin na kinakaharap natin ngayon panahon na ito, Mr. President, eh wala po tayong, ang inuuna po ay pamumulitika, Mr. President. I’m talking directly to Secretary Cusi, Mr. President,” said Pacquiao.

(There are so many problems we need to face and resolve. But it is saddening to know that some of our officials who are supposed to be on top of these problems, Mr. President, are focusing on politics instead. I’m talking directly to Secretary Cusi, Mr. President.)

Pacquiao then allowed other senators to interpellate him about his speech.  Senator Kiko Pangilinan, president of the once-ruling Liberal Party, asked Pacquiao what he thinks is the root cause of the energy crisis in Luzon.

For Pacquiao, it was Cusi’s alleged incompetence as DOE secretary. 

“Diretsuhin ko na lang, Mr. President: He is incompetent sa posisyon na yan diyan, Mr. President (I’ll go straight to the point, Mr. President: He is incompetent for this position, Mr. President),” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao then likened Cusi’s need to improve his strategies in DOE with how a boxer like himself trains for a fight. Pacquiao said if his footwork on the boxing ring was the problem, then he would train to improve his footwork. 

“Same thing with or job. Our job here is to legislate and investigate in aid of legislation. Ginagampanan po natin ngayon ‘yan (That’s what we are doing now),” said Pacquiao. 

Less than two weeks ago, Pacquiao had struggled to defend his pet bill creating a new boxing agency when Senator Pia Cayetano grilled him about it in the plenary. 

Cayetano’s heated interpellation of Pacquiao continued for two more session days, but she finally relented to end her questioning on May 26. – Rappler.com