Pacquiao: Team up with Sotto possible if Atienza quits VP race

FILE PHOTO: Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao (left) and vice presidential candidate Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he is not discounting the possibility of teaming up with his Senate colleague vice presidential candidate Vicente Sotto III if his running mate, Lito Atienza, backs out from the race due to his leg problem.

Pacquiao said that even before the start of the election period, Atienza has already expressed that he would like Pacquiao to team up with Sotto, who is the running mate of presidential bet Panfilo Lacson.

But the boxing champ-turned-politician clarified that this will only happen if Atienza decides to withdraw his candidacy and give way for Sotto. Pacquiao also clarified that he has yet to meet with Sotto on the matter.

“Wala naman kaming problema ni Congressman Lito Atienza at sabi naman ng aking ka-tandem na kung may mapili man siya na kung sakaling hindi niya kaya ay gusto niya si Sotto na pwedeng dalhin as VP,” the senator told media in a press briefing in Iloilo City.

(He does not have a problem with it and he told me that if he would choose someone to replace him, should he no longer wish to continue, it would be Sotto.)

READ: Atienza injures foot; skips proclamation rally with Pacquiao

Pacquiao is on a two-day campaign in Iloilo City to solicit the support of various Christian groups and the poor and marginalized communities.

From Iloilo City, he is scheduled to hold campaign sorties in Bacolod on Friday and Dumaguete on Saturday.

He said the scenario of replacing Atienza is still very farfetched as he remains optimistic that the congressman will recover soon and join him on the campaign trail.

Besides, Pacquiao said, this matter has not been discussed yet by the parties involved. He admitted that he was supposed to meet with Sotto last Monday but was temporarily set aside because of his meeting with Space X senior managers.

“Abangan niyo na lang ‘yung mga susunod na kabanata kapag nakapag-usap na kami. Hindi pa kami nagkakapag-usap kaya sabi ko abangan ninyo,” Pacquiao said hinting future meetings with Sotto and Atienza.

(Just wait for what will happen if we have already talked.)

“Basta mag-uusap lang kami. Depende na kung ano ‘yung pag-uusapan namin. About sa buhay, about sa politics,” he added.

(We will talk. Maybe about life and about politics.)

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