A combination photo of Senator Manny Pacquiao (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte (right). INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte should let the Senate do its job and stop defending his allies under investigation for alleged corruption, Senator Manny Pacquiao said Wednesday.
Pacquiao made the statement in reaction to the latest tirade of Duterte accusing senators of “politicking” in investigating the procurement of allegedly overpriced medical supplies amid the pandemic.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi pamumulitika ‘yan. Ginagampanan namin ang tungkulin natin as senators, as legislators. We investigate in aid of legislation at ‘yun ang ginagawa namin at noong umpisa pa lang noong 2016, nag-iimbestiga na kami about corruption,” Pacquiao said in an online media forum.
(That is not politicking. We are just doing our job as senators and legislators. We investigate in aid of legislation and that’s what we have been doing since 2016. The blue-ribbon committee has been investigating corruption.)
“Ang hiling ko lang sa Pangulo ay hayaan kami na gampanan ang trabaho namin, at ang hiling ko lang e huwag niya depensahan ang mga tao niya na iniimbestigahan dahil may alleged na corruption at kung mapatunayan ay ipakulong natin. Karapatan nila depensahan ang sarili nila at ipaliwanag kung sila ay may kasalanan o hindi,” the senator added.
(My request to the President is to allow us to do our jobs and to not defend his people being accused of corruption. If proven guilty, they should be jailed. It is their right to defend themselves.)
Pacquiao then went on saying that the Senate was not picking a fight with the President.
“Hindi po tayo nakikipag-away sa ating Pangulo. Ginagampanan lang natin ang ating trabaho at kung ano ang tama para sa ating bayan,” said Pacquiao.
(We are not quarreling with the President. We are just doing our jobs to do what is right for the country.)
Pacquiao’s remarks were the latest in the exchange of criticism between him and Duterte ahead of the 2022 elections. To recall, despite being a former ally of the President, Pacquiao had accused several government agencies of corruption.