Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday expressed his belief it is only fitting that the government goes after high-profile illegal drug traffickers and do its best to save the users.

Asked to expound on his admission he tried using drugs when he was young and “naïve,” Pacquiao explained he went through tough times in his life and committed a lot of mistakes when he was young.

But Pacquiao, the country’s boxing icon turned politician, said he was thankful he was given a new lease in life.

“Sino ba sa atin ang walang nagawang kasalanan? Mahirap po ang aking pinagdaanan (Who among us is sinless? I went through tough times),” Pacquiao said in a statement.

“The reality is drug users are victims of circumstances in life and they must be given a second chance. Lets jail the bigtime drug traffickers and save the users,” he stressed.

“Namuhay akong mag-isa at naghanapbuhay habang ang karamihan sa aking edad ay masayang nakikipaglaro sa kanilang mga kapwa bata. Kapag mahirap ka at ignorante sa buhay, hindi mo alam ang layunin ng mga taong iyong makakasalamuha at papakisamahan. At kapag bata ka, may mga taong pagsasamantalahan ang iyong murang isipan (I lived alone and worked hard when I was young while other children my age are happy to play with other kids. If you’re poor and ignorant in life, you have no idea about the motive of the people you meet. And if you’re young, there are people who would take advantage of your young mind),” Pacquiao explained.

“But God works in mysterious ways. Di Niya po ako pinabayaang magumon sa bisyo.

Binigyan po ako ng Panginoon ng pagkakataon na baguhin ang aking buhay. Mula sa madilim at walang direksyon na buhay ay inilagay Niya ako sa liwanag at binigyan ako ng pagkakataon na mangarap (He didn’t allow me to be destroyed by vices. God gave me a chance to change my life. From a life of darkness and no direction, he gave me life and a chance to dream),” the senator said.

That is why, the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) presidential bet said, he turned to boxing and trained hard to be able to join amateur, and eventually, professional bouts.

“Nilinang po ako ng aking mga karanasan-- mabuti man o masama-- upang maging matatag sa buhay. Pinatibay po nito ang aking pananampalataya at pagtitiwala sa ating Panginoon (My experiences shaped me—whether good or bad—to be strong in life. My faith in our Lord strengthened me),” he said.

Pacquiao earlier bared the negative results of his anti-doping test which he said was conducted before his fight in the United States last September.

He said the anti-doping test he underwent is of a stricter standard as its results are used in international sporting competitions, including boxing.

According to the lawmaker, even regulated and performance enhancing drugs are prohibited among athletes that undergo anti-doping tests.

“Lahat po tayo ay may hindi magandang nakaraan (All of us have a dark past). I have asked God to forgive me for all the wrong things that I have done,” Pacquiao said.

“Ang mas mahalaga ay matuto tayo sa ating nakaraan upang mapabuti ang ating kinabukasan (What is important is that we learned from our past mistakes and changed our life for the better),” he stressed.