Manny Pacquiao is aiming high for political office. The boxing legend announced on Sunday he’s going to run for President of the Philippines.
Pacquiao will be doing so in 2022, according to a story from Yahoo!.
He’s been busy railing against government corruption in his homeland. Pacquiao also torched current President Rodrigo Duterte for his close ties with China.
The boxing champ received the nomination from his faction in the ruling PDP-Laban Party. It comes just days after a rival faction nominated Duterte’s longtime aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
Manny Pacquiao Remains At Odds With President Rodrigo Duterte In Philippines
It’s the same group that nominated Duterte for vice president. But his critics aren’t buying the move on the surface. They say it’s just a way to help him keep power.
Go chose to decline the nomination. Yet that rift between boxing legend Pacquiao and Duterte factions is just bigger.
“I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring,” Pacquiao, 42, a senator, said in a live-streamed speech during the assembly. “I am accepting your nomination as candidate for president of the Republic of the Philippines.”
Pacquiao’s faction has not expressed support for Duterte’s vice-presidential bid. Duterte is prohibited by the constitution from running for a second six-year term as president.
Filipino Presidential Candidate Only Man To Hold World Titles In Eight Divisions
Pacquiao is the only boxer to hold world titles in eight different divisions. That’s one of the most amazing things from his 26-year pro boxing career. What does the future hold for him as far as boxing is concerned? He has not made a solid decision on it nor spoken publicly about it.
Looking back to July 2021, Pacquiao lost his spot as PDP-Laban leader. He was voted out weeks after he challenged Duterte over China and his record on fighting corruption. Pacquiao’s faction, though, rejected his ouster.
There was a time when Pacquiao and Duterte were close. But Pacquiao has said more than 10 billion pesos ($200 million in value) in pandemic aid intended for poor families was unaccounted for at this time. He added this is just one discovery from his corruption investigation.
Pacquiao has launched his anti-corruption crusade. The Philippine Senate has opened an investigation into alleged overpricing of medical supplies and equipment. That all was purchased under the government’s pandemic response program.
Well, Duterte didn’t like all of this that was going down. He told Pacquiao to specifically name any corrupt government offices. Duterte wanted to prove that Pacquiao was just playing politics.
But Pacquiao had a reply to his one-time friend. He simply said, “Your time is up!” Watch this battle of politics heat up in the coming weeks.
