Pacquiao OK to inhibit self from Senate probe on Smartmatic

Senator Manny Pacquiao. (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday said he is amenable to inhibiting himself from the Senate investigation on alleged Smartmatic systems breach but urged fellow senators running in the May polls to do the same.

According to Pacquiao, all senators who are also candidates in this year’s elections should bot participate in the Senate investigation in order to avoid “conflict of interest.”

“Wala namang problema kung ayaw nila akong mag-participate sa imbestigasyon na ‘yan. Gusto din natin ng malinis na halalan, walang dayaan at ang dasal natin sa Panginoon, kung sino man ang gagawa ng mga kasamaan ay ibubulgar ng Panginoon,” he said in a chance interview in Quezon City.

(There is no problem if they don’t want me to participate in that investigation. We also want a clean election where there is no cheating involved. We pray that the Lord will reveal those who will commit wrongdoings regarding the May 9 elections.)

“Dapat ‘yung mga tumatakbo, hindi na dapat mag-attend,” he added.

(All those who are running in the May 9 polls should also not attend.)

Pacquiao was responding to the call of election watchdog Kontra Daya for senators running for elective posts to inhibit themselves in the probe so there would be a “certain degree of independence” in the investigation.

Kontra Daya has also called on Senator Imee Marcos to resign as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Election Reforms, which was assigned to investigate the Smartmatic controversy.

READ: Kontra Daya to Imee Marcos: Resign as chair of Senate committee on poll reforms

Senator Marcos is the elder sister of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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