FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday vowed to continue his fight for the presidency, saying he will only quit the race if there is a sign from God.
Pacquiao laughed off speculations that he is losing his energy in his campaign and is having second thoughts about continuing in the presidential derby, saying he is busy going around and visiting communities for his campaign as he continues to advocate for the poor.
“Ako? Tinatamad? Hindi. Marami lang akong inaasikaso. Busy nga ako sa pag-iikot eh,” he said in a press briefing in Manila City when asked about speculations that he will allegedly withdraw from the race and will support the presidential candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo.
(Me? Being lazy? I am doing many things. I am busy with going around.)
“Kilala mo naman si Manny Pacquiao, hindi naman ako umaatras sa lahat ng laban. Inside and outside the ring,” Pacquiao added.
(You know who is Manny Pacquiao. I don’t back out of any fight — may it be inside or outside the ring.)
Pacquiao said the only thing that would make him quit the presidential race is if he gets a sign or a “conviction” from God.
“Sino pa naman ako para kontrahin ang Panginoon? Pag may conviction, may pinakita sa akin ang Panginoon, magwithdraw ako kahit na two days before election o one day before election, ‘pag may instruction ang Panginoon sa akin, susundin ko,” he said.
(Who am I to go against the Lord? If there’s a conviction, if He shows me any sign, I will withdraw from the race even if it’s two days or one day before election. I will follow the Lord if he has any instruction for me.)
He said he would recognize if there is a sign from God since the Lord has always been giving him signs of his victory or loss in boxing fights in his dreams.
“Halos karamihan ng talo ko sa boxing, one week before napanaginipan ko ‘yan. Nananaginip ako ng resulta. Ganun siguro, when you pray to the Lord, God will give you a conviction and an instruction or sign para hindi ka ma-alarma pagdating ng panahon,” the boxer-turned-politician said.
(Most of my fights where I lost, I have already dreamt of my defeat one week before. I dream about the results. Maybe it’s like that, when you pray to the Lord, He will give you a sign so that you will no longer be surprised when the time comes.)
He said that if the Lord will give him a sign, he would follow it and not have hard feelings about it since he does not have “vested interests” in running for president as he only wants to help the poor.
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