‘I’m not attacking the President:’ Pacquiao says on fight vs gov’t corruption

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao has denied “attacking” President Rodrigo Duterte after he criticized government corruption under the current administration, saying he wishes to work with the Chief Executive in cracking down on corrupt officials.

“I’m not attacking the President. Baka mali lang yung perception nila…kasi yung advocacy niya is against corruption, katulong ako kasi ang pinaka punot dulo talaga ng problema ng ating bansa is corruption,” Pacquiao said in an interview on Teleradyo on Thursday, July 1, 2021.

“I agree and support the President. Yung advocacy niya na sugpuin yung corruption and ang pangarap ko sa buhay, gusto ko makita ang mga kawatan ng gobyerno na nasa kulungan,” he added.

Earlier, Duterte warned that he would campaign against the senator should the latter fail to name corrupt agencies in the current administration.

The President claimed the senator had supposedly said the current administration is “three times more corrupt” than the previous one.

“I am not questioning your ability, intellectually or what,” Duterte had said. “But if you can’t do that, I will be after you every day. I will expose you as a liar.

Pacquiao accepted Duterte’s challenge, telling the President he is not a liar.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa ating Pangulo na binibigyan tayo ng pagkakataon,” the senator said in his Teleradyo interview.

He said there have been individuals reaching out to him about alleged corruption in the government.

Pacquiao said he did not publicize them because he does not want to insult the President.

“Maraming nagbibigay sa akin na mga issue ng corruption na mga papers. Ayoko lang kasi malabas dahil baka insulto sa pangulo na parang nagiimbestiga ako kung ano yung mga corrupt,” he said.

“Yung mga tao lang, siguro nagtiwala din sila sakin, binibigay sakin yung mga ebidensya nagsusumbong sa akin,” he added.

/MUF