Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao on Thursday, July 1 to denied he is attacking President Duterte when he brought to the fore the prevailing corruption in government under his current administration in response to his challenge.
Pacquiao reiterated he wants to work with Duterte in cracking down on corrupt officials and getting rid of corruption in the bureaucracy.
“I’m not attacking the President. I think some people just have a wrong perception. His advocacy is against corruption and I am one of those who are helping out because the real problem here in our country is corruption. I agree and support the President,” Pacquiao said in an interview on Teleradyo.
“I want to see these corrupt officials behind bars. It’s heartbreaking and it makes me weep whenever I discover different types of corruption in our government agencies.
"Maybe our President is unaware of all of these,” he said.
“I hope the President is not angry with me. If his advocacy is against corruption, I’m just helping him by pointing it out...We will never have economic development if we are unable to get rid of corruption,” he added.
Pacquiao said there have been individuals who have been reaching out to him complaining about alleged corruption in the government, but he could not publicize them because he does not want to insult the President.
“Many of these people who would give me information about corruption in government would provide papers. I just don’t want to release these because the President might get insulted and think I am getting ahead and investigating them myself,” he pointed out.
“Maybe these people just have their trust in me enough to give me these evidences when they approach me,” the lawmaker said.
Pacquiao also said he is collating all the evidences submitted to him regarding corruption in the Department of Health (DOH).
The senator, in his response to Duterte’s challenge to identify corrupt government agencies, identified the DOH led by Secretary Francisco Duque III.
“I have evidences about the corruption in DOH. I’m just collecting all of these at the moment,” he said adding that these pieces of evidences are in black and white.
At the same time, Pacquiao, acting president of the Partido ng Demokrating Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), issued a stern warning on party mates who refuse to abide by the rules and by-laws, saying they should leave the group.
Pacquiao directed his statement to the party’s vice-chairman, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and other party mates whom he said is attempting to divide PDP-Laban, now being chaired by Duterte.
“From now on, I’m telling them, not in my time as president of the party. I want to teach them a lesson. I’m the president of the party and you must follow the rules and bylaws of the party,” he said.
“If you don’t want to follow, then join other parties. If you don't want to follow the protocols and bylaws of the party then go ahead, join other parties,”added the senator.
According to the boxing icon turned politician, he still has the support of the majority of members of the party.