PACQUIAO LEADS PRAYER: Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao leads the chamber in prayer during the opening of the hybrid plenary session Wednesday, March 10, 2021. In his prayer, Pacquiao said that as legislators and public servants they want to serve as God’s hands and feet by becoming generous expression of the love and compassion of God. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines— Don’t divide the ruling PDP-Laban party for your own interest, Senator Manny Pacquiao told Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Friday.
Pacquiao serves as the acting president of PDP-Laban while Cusi is vice-chairman of the party which is being chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Since na-mention mo yung pangalan ni Cusi, isa lang masasabi ko, yung salita mo paninindigan mo…,” he said in a press conference. “Huwag mong kainin yung salita mo na sabi mo huwag munang pulitika, tulong muna sa tao.”
(Since you mentioned Cusi’s name, I have only one thing to say: Remain true to your words. Don’t eat what you have before that we should set aside politics, and help the people first)
Pacquiao was reacting to reports that Cusi was going around the country consulting with their party mates regarding a resolution urging Duterte to run for the vice presidency in 2022.
“Huwag mong dini-divide yung isipan ng mga miyembro ng partido para gamitin mo sa sariling interest unless kung umikot ka para magbigay ng tulong sa mga kababayan, palakpakan kita, matutuwa ako,” the senator went on.
(Don’t divide our party members for your own interest. Not unless you’re going around to help our countrymen, then I’d applaud you, I’d be happy.)
“Pero kung umiikot ka, pulitika pinag usapan mo, huwag mong ganyanin. Huwag mong lasuinin mo ang mga utak ng mga miyembro ng partido para magkahiwa-hiwalay,” he added.
(But if you’re going around talking about politics, don’t do that. Don’t poison the minds of our party mates to divide them)
Pacquiao urged his party mates to remain calm.
And directing his message to Cusi again, the senator clarified he was not fighting him.
“Pero…hindi ako ang tao na pwede mo lang laru-laruin. Warning lang ito, hindi ako nakikipag away sayo. Gusto kong makipagkaibigan sayo,” Pacquiao stressed.
(I’m not the kind of person you can toy with. This is just a warning. I’m not fighting with you. I want us to become friends.)