Presidential aspirant and incumbent Senator Manny Pacquiao waves to his throng of supporters after attending the wreath-laying ceremony for Redemptorist priest, Fr. Rosaleo “Rudy” Romano in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on Thursday, October 28, 2021. | via Mae Fhel Gom-os
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Presidential aspirant and incumbent Senator Manny Pacquiao said he has no plans of withdrawing his presidential bid for the 2022 elections.
Pacquiao made the statement after the camp of a presidential aspirant and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that they were eying bets with bailiwicks in Visayas and Mindanao to be the latter’s running mate or vice president.
It can be recalled that Marcos’ sister, Senator Imee Marcos, said that her brother was looking for a running mate that he can get along with apart from ensuring votes from the South.
READ: Bongbong Marcos camp eyeing Pacquiao, VisMin bets as VP options — Imee
Pacquiao, however, said that he has no plans of sliding down to the vice president position and that he was firm on his decision to seek the presidency.
Instead, the incumbent senator said he will fight for the welfare of the Filipinos.
“Wala akong planong mag VP, sinabi ko na yan, decided na ako. Tuloy ako lalaban tayo para sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino [para] mabigyan ng magandang kinabuksan at maiayos natin yung bansa natin na hindi malaganap yung corruption,” he said.
Should he win as president, Pacquiao said he can do a lot to help the Filipinos and resolve the problems of the country, including the recovery of the economy.
Despite that, Pacquiao thanked Imee for considering him to be the running mate or vice president of Marcos.
“Nagpapasalmat ako [dahil] isang karangalan na ma konsidera ng iba’t ibang partido na maging vice. Pero hindi po ako tatakbo na vice tuloy po ako sa pagka presidente dahil alam kong mas marami akong magagawa na tulungan ang ating mga kababayan at maibalik sa normal ang ating ekonomiya at maresulba ang ating mga problema, lalong-lalo na makita ko sa kulungan ang mga kawatan sa gobyerno,” said Pacquiao.
Apart from that, Pacquiao reiterated his support to amend the Omnibus Election Code to remove the withdrawal as one of the grounds for candidate substitution.
Citing that substitutions are abused by politicians, Pacquiao said it would be better if there is a limitation to it.
“Ako ang unang nagcomemnt diyan sa substitution dahil inaabuso. Ang sabi ko pwede lang siguro limitahan natin yung pagsubstitute na pwede lng i-substitute yung incapacitated, yung nagkasakit, namatay yung nag file. Pero kung wala namang sakit kung kaya naman, hindi pwedeng gamitin para sa personal interest ng ibang politiko,” he said.
Pacquiao is running for president with House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza as his running mate.
He is the only eight-division world boxing champion in the history of the sport. /rcg
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