Pacquiao ensuring Filipinos will not fall prey to deception, spox says after Bongbong camp's tirade

Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao was ensuring that Filipinos will not fall prey to deception when he called out candidates who are not attending election debates, his camp said Monday.

Atty. Nikki de Vega, Pacquiao's legal counsel and spokesperson, made the statement after the camp of presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. called the “sudden bravery” of the senator as “misplaced.”

“Likewise, we thank Mr. Marcos for acknowledging Senator Pacquiao's interest in his campaign. Truly, Senator Pacquiao is interested in ensuring that the Filipino people will not fall prey to deception,” De Vega said in a statement.

On Sunday, Marcos' spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez slammed Pacquiao for saying that candidates who shun election debates are obviously not ready to lead the country.

Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., had skipped at least two media organized elections events. He, however, has topped various pre-election surveys on presidentiables.

“He was given a full six years mandate to showcase his debating prowess but he was too shy to take up those challenges made by some intellectual giants in the Senate,” Rodriguez said, referring to Pacquiao, a former world boxing champion before becoming a politician.

“While he should just be minding his own campaign, I thank him nonetheless for expressing interest on how we conduct ours,” he added.

De Vega defended Pacquiao and pointed out that the senator did his job in the Senate.

“Moreover, the records will show that Sen. Pacquiao has served the nation well, in and out of Senate, whether they be in the form of debates during sessions or building homes for the less fortunate using his own money, among others,” De Vega said.

“I wish to emphasize that all the fortune that Senator Pacquiao used to serve the people came from his sweat and blood. I hope that other candidates can brazenly say the same thing.” —KBK, GMA News