Give others a chance, Sen. Manny Pacquiao said Monday to those urging Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for president in 2022 and succeed her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.
The boxer-senator said being a president is “anointed by God” in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN’s Karen Davila.
“A lot of people wanted to be president but God rejected them,” he said.
Pacquiao also expressed his concerns on President Duterte’s possible run for vice-president in 2022, saying it might not be good for the Chief Executive.
Members of the ruling party PDP-Laban’s national council, which Pacquiao chairs, earlier voted on a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice president despite the senator’s opposition.
The elder Duterte and Pacquiao have yet to talk about the respective issues.
“I have written to the President for a meeting between us, as chairman and President, so that we can talk about the plans of the party. We’ll talk about if this is good for us if it’s good for him to step down … I’m easy to talk to since I speak directly,” he said.
Pacquiao said he’s still waiting for Duterte’s response to his letter.
“I can’t do anything since I only follow the by-laws of the party that the chairman and the President should meet,” he said.
Despite issues with party mates, Pacquiao said he won’t leave PDP-Laban.
The boxing legend said he’s not yet certain if he will run for the Philippines’ top post but he asserted he won’t be either forced or prevented from running by anyone.
“We’re a democratic country, so everyone, anyone, can run,” Pacquiao said.
The senator meanwhile again criticized Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi, vice-chair of PDP-Laban, for holding a party meeting in Cebu that voted on the resolution asking Duterte to run again while there were power outages in Luzon.
“It’s embarrassing that you were in Cebu holding a meeting and talking about politics while here in Metro Manila — I don’t know if it’s in Metro Manila only — there were brownouts and a lot of people were affected,” he said.
Pacquiao however said he’s not holding a grudge against Cusi, who earlier claimed that it was Duterte who told him to hold that meeting.
Amid apparent discord with his partymates, Pacquiao said he believes he still has many supporters within PDP-Laban.
Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda earlier said there is “no doubt in his mind” that Sara Duterte-Carpio will run for president in next year’s elections.
Sen. Imee Marcos also told ABS-CBN News in a text message last month that she and her brother, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., met with Sara over plans for the 2022 national elections.
Duterte-Carpio topped recent surveys on potential presidential candidates but she has consistently denied eyeing the country’s highest post.