Nograles: Pacquiao can have a slot in PDP-Laban senatorial line-up
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles says ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is open to giving Senator Manny Pacquiao a slot in their senatorial ticket for next year's polls.

Nograles was asked point-blank in a Radyo Pilipinas interview Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 24 on whether or not PDP-Laban was willing to include the 42-year-old Filipino boxing icon in its senatorial line-up for the May 2022 national elections.
"Maglalaan kayo ng slot para kay Manny Pacquiao? (Will you save a slot for Manny Pacquiao?)" anchor Thogs Naniong asked Nograles.
"Opo! Kung ano po...pwede naman eh. Wala namang problema (Yes! That's possible. There's no problem with that)," the Cabinet Secretary said.
"Gaya ng lahat, dadaanan naman po siya proseso; may nomination, may election, acceptance....magbobotohan kung sino ang aming official candidates (Like everybody, he will go through the process; there's a nomination, an election, acceptance...there will be a vote as to who our official candidates would be)," he quickly added.
Pacquiao, who last fought in the ring over the weekend against Cuban welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas, is seen as the leader of one of two PDP-Laban factions. The other one is led by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Last July, Cusi was installed by his faction as PDP-Laban president, replacing Pacquiao, while the latter was training for his fight in the United States (US). Nograles is part of the Cusi group.
Nograles said in the same interview that his group remains "willing to have a dialogue" with the Pacquiao faction.
Earlier Tuesday, PDP-Laban unveiled the first five names in its senatorial line-up. They are House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gringo Honasan, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.
Pacquiao has been rumored to be eyeing the presidency even before erstwhile Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte was elected to the position in the 2016 national polls. However, at that time, "Pacman" did not meet the age requirement for president.
President Duterte is the chairman of PDP-Laban. His relationship with fellow Mindanaoan Pacquiao has soured during the past few months allegedly because of the upcoming polls.