Malacanang warned on Wednesday if President Rodrigo Duterte would be removed from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, the party's membership could return to about just a "jeepney-load."

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press briefing, noted that before Duterte joined PDP-Laban for the 2016 elections, it had only a few members, similar to about a "jeepney-load" members.

"It's up to them if they want (to oust Duterte from PDP-Laban)," he said.

Some members, particularly those belonging to the faction of Senator Manny Pacquiao, acting president of PDP-Laban, have opposed to Duterte running for vice president in 2022 elections.

The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi recently came out with a resolution urging Duterte to seek the vice presidential post.

Duterte said earlier that he was sold to the idea and was seriously thinking of running for vice president.

Roque said once Duterte finally made up his mind, he would run whether in PDP-Laban or in any other party.

"We all know that PDP-Laban had almost no members before President Duterte became a president. So, I don't know why PDP-Laban is saying those words. I repeat, PDP-Laban had only about a jeepney-load members before President Duterte joined them. If you're going to remove the President in PDP-Laban, you'll return to a jeepney-load members," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS