Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo files his certificate of candidacy for senator. (INQUIRER.net /John Eric Mendoza)
MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirant and media personality Raffy Tulfo on Monday said he turned down an offer from Senator Manny Pacquiao’s camp to be the boxing champ’s vice presidential bet in the 2022 elections.
“It was the camp of Sen. Manny Pacquiao,” Tulfo said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel when asked which candidate asked him to be their vice presidential running mate.
“I courteously turned it down. Sinabi ko na napakabilis naman ata yung paglundag, vice president agad,” he said.
Tulfo is now among the guest senatorial candidates of Pacquiao who eventually picked House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza as his running mate
Senator Manny Pacquiao shows the media his certificate of candidacy for president last October 1, 2021 at the Harbor Garden Tent of Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City (INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza)
Tulfo said he rejected the offer since he did not want to challenge President Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier accepted a nomination from the PDP-Laban’s Cusi wing to be its vice presidential candidate.
“And sabi ko, hindi ko pwedeng banggain si Pangulong Duterte na dahil siya’y kaibigan ko,” Tulfo said.
“Isa pa, nandiyan si Sen. Tito Sotto na hindi ko rin pwedeng banggain,” he added.
While Sotto pushed through with formalizing his candidacy before the Commission on Elections, Duterte announced he will retire from politics, with Sen. Bong Go filing a certificate of candidacy for vice president instead.
Aside from Tulfo, Senator Richard Gordon also earlier disclosed that “somebody” from the camp of Pacquiao had asked him to be the latter’s running mate.