Isko brushes off Pacquiao corruption claim, hails his boxing feat

Presidential aspirant and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Friday brushed off Senator Manny Pacquiao’s remark saying that voters should not vote for him due to “corruption issues.”

Moreno, however, hailed Pacquiao for bringing honor to the country as former world boxing champion. 

“Hindi natin makakalimutan ang karangalan na binigay sa ating bansa ni Sen. Manny Pacquiao sa mundo ng boksing. Maraming Salamat sa dangal na binigay ninyo sa mundo ng boxing. May God bless you!” Moreno told GMA News Online.

(We will never forget the honor given to our country by Sen. Manny Pacquiao in the world of boxing. Thank you so much for the honor you have given to the world of boxing. May God bless you.)

Pacquiao retired from boxing in September last year.

Pacquiao on Friday said "corruption issues" should make the voters reject the bid of Moreno and former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for the presidency in Eleksyon 2022.

“May corruption issue (He has corruption issue),” Pacquiao said when asked by TV host Boy Abunda on Friday why the people should not vote for Moreno.

Asked the same question about Marcos, the former boxing champion said, “May bahid ng corruption, may issue ng corruption, alam mo naman ang corruption sa ating bansa eh talagang 'yan ang dahilan kung bakit kami naghirap,” Pacquiao said of Marcos.

(He has corruption issues, you know corruption in our country, that is really the reason why we suffer.)

In an earlier interview with TV host Boy Abunda, Moreno was also asked why Filipinos should not vote for Pacquiao, he replied, “Mabait naman, okay naman (He is a good person, it is okay).”

Moreno said he deserves the Filipino vote because he will be a chief executive who will act fast and will not be vindictive. —LDF, GMA News