By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
SAN JUAN CITY — The National Assembly of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) National and Regional Officers was held on Saturday (Sept. 14) at the historic Club Filipino in Greenhills.
The assembly was hosted by PFP President Atty. Leandro Verceles and Vice President for Mindanao Assam Ulangkaya.
The gathering was informal and focused on building camaraderie and fostering discussions on key matters for the future of the PFP.
Recognized during the assembly were PFP National Treasurer Antonio Marfori, Vice President for Luzon Gabriel, Sotto, Edwin Chiong National Chairman for Region XI, Janet Ong NCR Chairman, Alfred Soriano,
TJ Rodriguez, Secretary General, and Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.
Likewise recognized were Rudy Golez, Jr., Yolly Simon, Alexander Agustin of Region XI, and Vincent Tangcasis.
Tackled were matters about the change the term of office, as well as 40 percent of the quorum.
Members who have entered 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 thousand -strong on this side of the equator so to speak,” Verceles said.
Verceles noted that the PFP was organized in 2018. Under the Constitution, the term of office of executive officers should be for two years, saying that, it’s already “ultra vires” or nothing at all since September 2023.
There are now two factions — Verceles faction and Tamayo faction.
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 faction.
“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 will continue the movement as well as their advocacy as “PFP Plus Convenors Group”.
He pointed out that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should take cognizance of the fact that the “grassroots level” which emboldens the party and not the leaders themselves.
“The bottomline, We will continue with the CONA,” Verceles said.
Ulangkaya noted that the PFP was established in April 2018.
He stressed that Engr. Anthony Marfori initially “bankrolled” and the one who spent P3 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 fied 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 faction, a copy of which, was emailed to Verceles.
Verceles also noted that charges for falsification of public documents were filed against Tom Lantion and George Briones 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 sacrificed with the Mindanao-wide convention of the PFP.
Assam Ulangkaya has previously told President Marcos, Jr. that the PFP is the party of the labor, manicurists, vendors, drivers, fishermen, farmers, retired government employees and officials, with millions of ordinary volunteers in the barangays or grassroots level.
He slammed that South Cotabato Gov. Tamayo was recruiting PFP members who were anti-Marcos and the original members were taken for granted.
Ulangkaya surmised that Tamayo never sacrificed anything for the PFP.
Castricciones, JV Hinlo and Mamudiong were only appointed in government during the time of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
He lambasted Gen. Tom Lantion, Atty. George Briones and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. for allegedly collecting millions of pesos from BBM when he was still running for President in May 2022.
“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.
Arch. Baliao cited that during the 2017 MRRD Anniversary in Cuneta Astrodone, 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.
The logo of the PFP was changed by Gov. Tamayo, but without touching the Agila and the closed fist of Duterte as well as the federal form of government.
“This party continuously supports this government. I’m not asking you to join but at least take a stand,” Baliao said.
In a phone interview, Lantion said “There’s no such thing (collecting money from PBBM). I even used my retirement for the headquarters. That’s what it is, they lost in the Comelec isn’t it that there were resolutions in the Comelec.”
“I vehemently denied that, we were not collecting anything…I’m not collecting anything from them,” Lantion added.
“That’s nothing, that’s not true,” he stressed.
