Pacquiao ‘not ready’ to hold dialogue with Cusi faction

While claiming that he is not holding grudges against his political rivals, Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said dialogues with the PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is not likely to happen in the coming days.

“I’m not ready for that dahil marami pa tayong consideration ngayon,” Pacquiao said in an ANC interview when asked if he is open to talking with the other PDP-Laban faction.

(I am not ready for that because we still have a lot of matters being considered now.)

Among the matters that he would like to focus on are the health crisis, poverty, and unemployment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ako po bilang Christian, hindi po ako galit kay Cusi. Hindi po ako galit sa kanyang grupo. Who am I to put grievances to someone? I am also a sinner who needs forgiveness from the Lord,” he said.

(As a Christian, I hold no grudge against Cusi. I am not holding grudge against his group Who am I to put grievances to someone? I am also a sinner who needs forgiveness from the Lord.)

"What I am talking about here is ‘yung importante maresolba at masolusyunan natin ang problema at kung ano man yang political career na yan, ang partido, ang problema, ay madaling pag-usapan yan pagdating ng panahon  kapag maresolba na nating ang ating hinaharapa ang pandmeya na ito,” he added.

(What I am talking about here is, we should give importance in resolving and providing solutions to our problems. The political career and the problems within the party can be discussed in the future or after we resolve the pandemic.)

Moreover, Pacquiao believes that the Commission on Elections and even the Supreme Court will declare his group as the legitimate PDP-Laban party as Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is on their side.

“Naniniwala ako sa Comelec magdesisyon sila nang tama kung sinong nararapat at saan nararapat ang partido, especially ang bumuo ng partido e ‘yung Pimentel family,” he said.

(I believe that Comelec will make the right decision on the declaration of the legitimate PDP-Laban party, considering the fact that the party was established by the Pimentel family.)

If they will not be declared as the legitimate PDP-Laban, Pacquiao said he will not leave those who supported and sided with him during the infighting in the ruling party.

Meeting with Leni

In the same interview, Pacquiao confirmed his meeting with Vice President Leni Robredo.

The lawmaker said the discussions focused on how the government should resolve the COVID-19 pandemic and not their 2022 elections plans.

“Hindi po kami nag-uusap talaga kung ano yung…nag-finalize kung ano ang desisyon namin. Ang pinakamaraming pinag-usapan po namin is yung pagresolba ng pandemya,” he said.

(We have not discussed and finalized our decisions [for the elections]. Our discussions revolved around the ways to resolve the pandemic.)

Last week, Pacquiao said he is expected to finalize his decision whether to gun for the country’s top post or not before October.

Apart from his 2022 plans, Pacquiao will bare his 22-round agenda for the Philippines and the decision for his boxing career. — RSJ, GMA News