Presidency needs anointing from God, not only from Duterte –Pacquiao

Anyone who would run for president in the 2022 needs to be anointed by God and not only by President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Manny Pacquiao said on Monday.

In an interview on ANC, the host told Pacquiao that many saw his new position as president of the PDP-Laban—the political party of Duterte—as a preparation for the upcoming elections.

Duterte told the boxing champ-turned-senator in 2017 that he wanted to make him president.

"That was 2017 and pasalamat naman ako sa kind words na sinabi niya noong 2017 but para sa akin kailangan annointed ka ng Panginoon para maging presidente ng Pilipinas," Pacquiao said.

"Kung wala namang walang anointing ng Panginoon ay hindi ka pwedeng maging presidente ng Pilipinas. Marami nang dumanas ng ganyan, pag hindi inapprove ng Panginoon at hindi ka anointed ng Panginoon ay di ka maging presidente," he added.

Asked if he would consider running for president in case Duterte chooses to endorse another candidate in the 2022 polls, Pacquaio said he would rather not talk about his plans for the elections right now.

"This is not the right time to talk about politics, may mga panahon na kailangan pag-usapan ang politics pero sa ngayon para mas marami pa tayong magawa, magkaisa tayong lahat," he said.

"Wala sa isip ko pa 'yang pamumulitika ngayon. Pag walang eleksyon, huwag natin pag-usapan yung pulitika," he added.

Before joining PDP-Laban, Pacquiao was part of the United Nationalist Alliance. He ran for senator in 2016 under then-presidential candidate Jejomar Binay but Duterte still endorsed him. — DVM, GMA News