Pacquiao apologizes for ‘sisipain’ remark
SENATOR Manny Pacquiao apologized on Monday for his remark on how the death penalty by hanging could be carried out.
“Pasensya na po, Mr. President, sa anumang maling action namin. I always stand corrected kung may mga pagkakamali akong nagawa o pagkukulang na hindi kanais-nais na mga aksyon,” Pacquiao said.
The neophyte senator issued the apology after Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan expressed concern at how some of his colleagues and people and the gallery laughed at Pacquaio’s remark on death by hanging.
“Just a manifestation. Earlier, perhaps out of levity para mawala ang konting kaba medyo may agam-agam ho ako dahil nagtatawanan tayo sa gallery tungkol sa pagbitay,” said Pangilinan.
“Sa akin po e hindi po biro-biro ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan at sana po maging mas sensitibo tayo sa usapin po ng pagkitil ng buhay ng kapwa. Siguro nga ho ito ay dala lang ng nerbiyos, nagtawanan po tayo pero sana ho iwasan ho natin na maging katatawanan o binibiro-biro po ang usapin po ng kamatayan po ng ating kapwa,” he added.
Pacquiao delivered his fist privilege speech in the Senate this afternoon to push for the reimposition of the death penalty on drug cases.
After the speech, Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III asked the neophyte senator how he would like the drug offenders punished by death.
Responding to Sotto’s’ query, Pacquiao said he prefers death by hanging, saying in jest: “Sisipain lang po yung upuan.”
“Pwede po nating sabihin na natumba lang ang upuan e,” Pacquiao added.
