Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao has broken his silence about the Easter joint press conference on Wednesday and bared there really was no plan to attack Vice President Leni Robredo nor call for her withdrawal from the race.
This means presidential bet Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso is now all alone in his plea that Robredo should back out of the presidential derby after two more candidates who attended the press conference—Senator Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson and former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales—also distanced themselves from Domagoso's call.
"Wala sa usapan yung manira tayo ng tao at saka magsasabing mag withdraw ka (It was not part of our plan to attack people and call for withdrawal)," Pacquiao told reporters in Ilocos Norte as he continued his campaign rally after a week of hiatus.
"'Yung presscon na yun, sa pagkakaisa na magkaroon ng maayos na halalan, honest na halalan, at magkaroon ng pagtutulungan doon sa isang adhikain kung paano natin matutulungan ang ating kababayan (That presscon should be about clean and honest election, about our goal to help our countrymen)," he added.
Contrary to what his partner, vice presidential bet Lito Atienza, said, Pacquiao clarified that he really intended to attend the event. He just was not able to due to the delay in his flight from General Santos City to Manila.
Pacquiao echoed what his campaign manager, Buddy Zamora, said that it was "divine intervention" that he failed to go to the presser.
"Pag guided ka ng panginoon, ang panginoon gagawa ng paraan para protektahan ka (If you're guided by God, he will find a way to protect you)," he said.