The verbal tussle between the Administration and Senator Manny Pacquiao was far from over as Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said that the fighting legislator attacking President Duterte was not a good strategy.
Roque made the statement after Pacquiao said he was neither corrupt nor a liar after Duterte threatened to expose him as a liar and campaign against him if he fails to prove his allegation of corruption against the current administration.
In his press briefing on Thursday, July 1, Roque said it was good if Pacquiao believes he is what he claimed to be but reminded him of the President's challenge to him.
"Good for him but patuloy pong hinihintay ni Presidente yung sinasabi niyang mga korap na ahensiya nang sa ganoon titignan ni Presidente kung may talagang kinakailangan may sibakin diyan (the President is awaiting his list of corrupt agencies so the President can look into it and fire people if necessary)," he said.
"Kinakailangan sabihin niya kung saan ang korapsyon, anong ahensiya 'yan, at anong ebidensiya niya (He needs to identify those agencies and present his evidence)," he added.
However, Roque said that going after Duterte was not Pacquiao's smartest move, reiterating that his actions were prompted by his political desires.
"Politika po 'yan. Alam naman nating lahat gustong tumakbong presidente ni Senator Pacquiao (This is all because of politics. We all know that Senator Pacquiao wants to become president)," he said.
"Sa akin po, hindi tamang istratehiya 'yan. Kasi napakatagal naman pong nagsama ni Senator Pacquiao at ni Presidente (To me, this was not the correct strategy because the two of them have a long history)," he added.
The Palace official said he did not understand why Pacquiao was on the offensive when Duterte has not even named his candidate for president yet.
He recalled that Pacquiao was actually one of Duterte's bets for the presidency in the 2022 polls.
"Nabanggit na ni Presidente na isa sa tatlong posible sana niya noon na nai-endorso ay si Senator Pacquiao, hindi ko po alam kung bakit hindi nakapaghintay si Senator Manny Pacquiao (The President has mentioned Senator Pacquiao was one of the people he may endorse. I don't know why he couldn't wait)," Roque said.
Pacquiao accepted Duterte's challenge and said that the Department of Health (DOH) needed to be investigated for its expenses like its procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs). In response, Roque said Pacquiao must have been absent when Health Secretary Francisco Duque III presented to the Senate how the DOH handled the pandemic and the funds allotted to the agency.