Pacquiao says he has no ill will against Matibag

TARLAC CITY, Tarlac — Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he supports the appointment of National Transmission Corporation head and PDP-Laban secretary general Melvin Matibag as acting Cabinet secretary, saying he has no ill will against him.

Matibag is under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi's faction of PDP-Laban.

"Sa akin ay nandoon 'yung tiwala ng Pangulo sa kaniya. Titingnan natin, hindi ako namemersonal. Ang titingnan ko rito, kung mabuti o masama. Kailangan gumawa at gampanan 'yung trabaho at huwag gumawa ng masama, 'yan ang against ako," Pacquiao said at a media briefing here.

(For me, the President's trust in him is there. We'll see about his performance, I’m not taking it personally with him. What I'm looking at is whether a person is good or bad. You have to perform and do the job and not do bad things, which is what I'm against at.)

"Pero 'yung sa tao, hindi ako namemersonal. Sino ba naman ako para magkaroon ng galit sa kaniya, eh hindi naman ako perpekto, makasalanan din ako," he added.

(But regarding the person, I'm not taking it personally. Who am I to be angry with him? I'm not perfect, I'm also a sinner.)

Earlier, Malacañang announced the appointment of Matibag as acting Cabinet secretary, replacing Karlo Nograles who has been named chairperson of the Civil Service Commission.

Matibag took his oath before Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea at the Malacañang Guest House.

Pacquiao and his allies in his faction previously had come up with a resolution expelling Cusi, Matibag, and PDP-Laban membership committee head Astra Naik over alleged violations of the party’s by-laws and constitution by “showing allegiance to a political party apart from PDP Laban.”

In response, Matibag said Pacquiao should instead focus on his candidacy for Eleksyon 2022 rather than keeping an eye on Cusi. 

Debates

On another issue, Pacquiao said candidates who will skip debates organized by Comelec should respect the poll body's possible sanctions against them.

"Ang Comelec na itong nag-imbita eh, kailangan mag-attend tayo. Dahil karapatan natin na isiwalat o ipahayag ang ating mga plataporma, ang ating mga adhikain, ang ating mga puso, para makita 'yung sincerity natin sa pag-serbisyo sa ating bayan, kung totoo ka o hindi," he said.

(We were invited directly by the Comelec. We should attend. Because we have the right to reveal or communicate our platforms, aspirations, and hearts in order to demonstrate our sincerity in serving our people, whether or not you are honest.)

"Para sa akin, kung ano 'yung desisyon ng Comelec, irespeto natin ()... Ako ay isang kandidato lamang, ako ay sumusunod sa patakaran ng Comelec," Pacquiao said when asked if he favored imposing sanctions on candidates skipping debates.

(For me, whatever the Comelec's decision, we should respect it. I'm only a candidate following Comelec policies.)

Candidates who will not participate in the debates will lose their slots in the poll body's e-rally platforms until the end of the campaign period, according to Comelec Commissioner Socorro Inting. — RSJ/VBL, GMA News