Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Tuesday, March 16 that he has no intention of "fighting" Senator Manny Pacquiao amid the current brouhaha surrounding the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party.
"Hindi naman ako lalaban, mahirap naman yun. Kayo naman oh (I'm not going to fight him, that's would be difficult. Come on, guys)," he told reporters tongue-in-cheek during a chance interview.
Cusi is the vice chairman of the party, while Pacquiao is the party president. The latter is also boxing's only eight-division champion.
Cusi's rather playful remark was a direct response to the senator's quote last Saturday wherein he gave the Energy chief an ominous warning.
"HIndi ako nakikipagaway sa iyo, (pero) hindi ako ang tao na puwede mo lang laru-laruin (I'm not arguing with you, but I'm not a person that you can play around with)," the usually reserved Pacquiao was quoted as saying in a press conference last March 12.
Cusi is allegedly making rounds in the country in a bid to convince Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and President Duterte to become running mates in the May 2022 elections. As per the purported plan, Go will run for president while Duterte will vie for the vice presidency.
"Hindi ko po alam at tsaka wala po akong sasabihin tungkol doon, hindi ko po alam (I don't know anything and I won't say anything)," the Cabinet official said of Pacquiao's press conference.
While Cusi has not yet spoken with Pacquiao after the presser, he said he is open to talking with him.
"Wala naman problema yung sa pag-uusap. Una sa lahat senator siya, idol nating mga Pilipino. And before that humihingi talaga kami ng meeting. Ewan ko lang kung ano nangyari (There's no problem with us talking. First of all he is a senator, he is the idol of Filipinos. And before that, we really asked for a meeting. I don't know what happened)," Cusi said.
"Kaya nga sinabi ko beyond what I have said, wala na. Sign of paggalang. Paggalang ko yan (That’s why, beyond what I've said, I've nothing else to say. That's a sign of respect. My respect)," he concluded.
Pacquiao, who was installed as party president last December, wants PDP-Laban members to refrain from talking politics or the elections so they may focus on helping the people amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. (With reports from Ariel Fernandez)