Sen. Manny Pacquaio. INQUIRER.net file photo / CATHY MIRANDA
Senator Manny Pacquiao said he would stay with the ruling PDP-Laban lest he be accused of being a political butterfly.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III earlier admitted inviting Pacquiao to join the Nationalist People’s Coalition founded by businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco.
“Wala naman akong problema, pero taga PDP-laban ako (I have no problem with that but I’m with PDP-Laban),” Pacquiao said when asked about Sotto’s offer during an interview with DWIZ on Saturday
“Kalilipat ko lang sa PDP-Laban. Ayaw ko namang isipin ng mga tao na para akong ibang mga pulitika dyan na talon ng talon. Pangit,” he said.
(I just transferred to PDP-Laban. I don’t want people to think that I’m like other politicians who always jump ship. That’s not good)
Pacquiao was with the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) when he ran in the 2016 May elections. He eventually joined PDP-laban after the elections.
Asked if he would stay with PDP-Laban, the neophyte senator answered yes.
“PDP-Laban pa rin ako (I’m still with PDP-Laban),” Pacquiao added.
Talks of some PDP members defecting to other groups swirled following the ouster of its secretary general, Panaleon Alvarez, as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Alvarez was replaced by partymate, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. /jpv
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