Pacquiao absence strongly felt in Duterte meeting with PDP-Laban

FILE PHOTO> Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao was notably missing during the meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte with members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), which was taped Tuesday and aired on Wednesday afternoon.

The two-hour meeting, aired entirely on government-run PTV 4, whose airtime is paid for by taxpayer’s money, was held seemingly to convince Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections.

During the course of the meeting, party members took turns to butter up the President and tell him he needs to gun for the second-highest post in the country for “continuity.”

Among those present in the meeting is PDP-Laban vice chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who presented to Duterte petitions for the President to vie for the vice presidency; Senators Bato dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino; and PDP-Laban executive vice-chairman and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who said he would want Duterte to extend his term if only possible.

Also present is Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos and San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Rida Robes, who said Duterte is “really the answer for continuity.”

Meanwhile, Pacquiao, who is PDP-Laban’s acting president, is nowhere to be seen during the hybrid meeting, which was attended by members both physically and online.

It can, however, be noted that Pacquiao is currently in Los Angeles to train for his upcoming boxing match with Errol Spence in August.

READ: Danny Garcia doesn’t see Pacquiao-Spence going the distance

Pacquiao recently made headlines for claiming that corruption in the government continues, tagging the Departments of Health, Social Welfare and Development, Energy, and Environment and Natural Resources, as among corrupt agencies.

READ: Duterte to Pacquiao: Name corrupt agencies or I’ll campaign against you

He claimed he has documents to prove corruption in several government agencies and said he would refer these to the Senate blue ribbon committee for investigation.

Cusi earlier told Pacquiao to leave PDP-Laban first before he criticizes Duterte.

During the meeting, Duterte said he is “sold to the idea” of running and is “seriously considering” running for the vice presidency but is being held back by the idea of having a President whom he is not “friends” with, which could render him “inutile.”

READ: Duterte says new President must be friend of his for him to function well as VP

KGA