Pacquiao denies ‘gatecrashing’ Malacañang for meeting with Duterte

A combination photo of Senator Manny Pacquiao (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte (right). INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Senator and presidential aspirant Manny Pacquiao on Sunday denied that he “gatecrashed” Malacañang to meet President Rodrigo Duterte.

This came after Duterte denied having invited Pacquiao to the meeting. Pacquiao, however, added that Duterte was unaware of what the meeting was all about.

“Nagulat ako dahil hindi rin niya alam na may meeting kami. Pareho kaming nagulat,” said Pacquiao.

(I was surprised because he also didn’t know we had a meeting. We were both surprised.)

Pacquiao, however, stressed that it would have been impossible for him to even meet Duterte if he did not have an official appointment.

“It is impossible na sumulpot lang ako sa Malacañang as the President claims. To get inside Malacañang you would need an appointment and you cannot get any appointment if you were not called upon by the President,” Pacquiao said.

According to Pacquiao, it was 1 Pacman party-list Rep. Eric Pineda who asked him to meet Duterte.

The presidential aspirant added that he accepted the invitation, as a gesture of respect for Duterte.

“Hindi po ako traditional politician pero marunong akong makiramdam. Pumayag po ako na pumunta sa Malacañang hindi upang humingi ng suporta kundi upang ipakita ang respeto sa ating Pangulo. Nagpunta ako doon as a gesture of respect to the President,” Pacquiao said.

(I am not a traditional politician but I know how to show respect. I agreed to go to Malacañang not to ask for support but to show respect for our President. I went there as a gesture of respect to the President.)

Prior to the meeting, the two were at odds after Pacquiao criticized Duterte’s “lacking” stance on Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

Both Duterte and Pacquiao also figured prominently in the row between two factions of the ruling PDP-Laban party.

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