Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao. (Screengrab/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — “Pag-isipan nilang mabuti kasi parang pinaglalaruan na lang tayo.”
Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao had this advice to Filipinos as the filing of substitutions for the 2022 polls continue on Saturday, with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Caprio ending speculations of a presidential run by formalizing her bid for the vice presidency.
Pacquiao, who is in Cebu for the weekend, was asked about Duterte-Carpio’s decision to file her candidacy for vice president as a substitute candidate.
The senator welcomed Duterte-Carpio’s move, saying she can run for any elective position because, in the end, it will be voters who will make the final choice.
“Lahat may karapatan na tumakbo. Lahat binibigyan ng karapatan para magpapili. At the end of the day ang tao naman ang pipili kung sino ang ilalagay nila dyan,” Pacquiao told reporters at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City before attending the wedding of the son of Cebu City Congressman Rodrigo Abellanosa.
“Ang hiling ko lang naman sa taumbayan eh mag-isip silang mabuti. Pag-isipan nilang mabuti kasi parang pinaglalaruan na lang tayo…pinaglalaruan yung taumbayan,” he added.
According to Pacquiao, he is ready to face anyone in the political arena and would not bother himself with the political plans and actions of other candidates.
In his case, Pacquiao stressed he will not back out from his presidential bid and would vigorously pursue his campaign with a pledge to get rid of corruption in all levels of government.
Earlier in the day, Pacquiao also met with the MP3 Movement, a coalition of volunteer leaders pushing for his presidency.
In his speech, Pacquiao reiterated his promise to crack down on corruption and said would build a “Mega Prison” that would be solely intended for corrupt government officials.
He said that this facility would be equipped with CCTV cameras that are fed directly to Malacañang and a hospital to house detainees who suddenly get sick when they are on trial.
“Wala na silang lusot sa Mega Prison na ito dahil sisiguraduhin natin na wala silang signal sa telepono at may CCTV sa bawat sulok at namomonitor ito sa Malakanyang,” the senator said.
“Yung mga pagbibigyan ng korte para ma-house arrest ay ilalagay namin natin sa mga kubol na itatayo rin natin sa loob ng Mega Prison,” Pacquiao added.
After Pacquiao’s meeting with the MP3 Movement, he held a forum with young Cebu businessmen and shared his plan to provide zero-interest loans for micro-small and medium enterprises to push for their recovery amid the economic losses inflicted by the pandemic.
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