Pacquiao says nobody got paid to join his rallies, motorcades

Senator Manny Pacquiao going around San Pedro, Laguna on December 7, 2021. SEN. PACQUIAO’S OFFICE

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao said he does not feel alluded to by the statements of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno about candidates who allegedly pay people to join motorcades and political rallies.

Pacquiao pointed out that all of his sorties were attended by legitimate die-hard supporters and believers.

Pacquiao, who is a consistent crowd drawer, maintained that people who would swarm his motorcades and provincial sorties were not paid and all of them willingly attended his activities.

“Hindi tayo yun. Sa atin talagang wala naman tayong ibinabayad sa kanila. Masayang-masaya ang puso ko dahil all-out support sila sa akin at nakita ko kung paano yung pag-welcome nila sa akin. Mainit ang pagtanggap sa akin sa mga lugar na pinupuntahan namin.  At yun ay hindi hakot at yun ay hindi binayaran, ” Pacquiao said.

“Yung mga tao na talagang sumisigaw  at nagbibigay ng suporta sa atin ay yun ay hindi hakot. Talagang kusang loob silang sumusuporta sa atin, ” he added.

Pacquiao pointed that giving money to people to recruit them to join motorcades and rallies,  is completely different from his relief and cash giving activities which are done in poor communities, and the recipients are pre-selected to ensure that they are truly in need.

He added there is also nothing wrong with activities that give aid or “ayuda” as he has been doing this even before he decided to join politics.

“Kung ano man yung pinamimigay natin ay ipinagpapatuloy ko na lang yung ginagawa ko mula pa noon..yung pagbibigay ng ayuda, yung pagtulong  sa mga kababayan natin na nahihirapan.”

Moreno took a swipe at candidates who are allegedly giving cash rewards to people who attend their motorcades and political rallies.

/MUF