Pacquiao on Duterte staying neutral: Parang ako na rin ang in-endorse

TALISAY CITY, Negros Occidental - Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that he was not endorsing any presidential candidate in Eleksyon 2022.

He said it was as if Duterte had endorsed him

"Malaking bagay sa akin 'yon considering may tumatakbong taga-Mindanao. Magaling din ang pangulo eh, hindi rin naman kami magkaaway ng punong pangulo," Pacquiao said at a news conference on the campaign trail.

"Kumbaga para niya na rin akong ineendorso no'n nu'ng hindi siya mageendorso ng kandidato," he added.

(His statement was a huge thing for me, considering I'm a candidate from Mindanao. It's also good because we do not have any rift at all. It's like he also endorsed me if he did not endorse any candidate.)

Pacquiao said he believed Duterte did not want his daughter Sara Duterte, who is running for vice president, to be conflicted if he endorsed a candidate.

"Kasi pangit naman kung mag-endorso siya ng kandidato kung ang anak niya vice president ng isang kandidato," Pacquiao said.

"Ang ibig sabihin no'n may gusto siyang iendorso pero tahimik na lang siya dahil ayaw niyang [maipit] ang anak niya," he added.

(It will not be good if he will endorse a candidate while his daughter is running for vice president. This means he wanted to endorse someone but he choose to be silent about it because he did not want his daughter to be caught in between.)

Sara is the running mate of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

"Kilala ko si Presidente. Kilala ko, kaibigan ko yan, tumira ako ng Davao eh. 'Yang si Presidente, pag sabi niya ayaw talaga niya," Pacquiao said.

"Halimbawa may bisyo ka, may issue ka ng drugs, may issue ka ng corruption. Pag sinabi niyang ayaw niya ng korupsyon ayaw niya ng drugs ayaw niya talaga ng illegal drugs. Paano siya mag endorso ng gan'on?" he said. —NB, GMA News