Manny Pacquiao says most PH politicians are corrupt
Senator Manny Pacquiao—who was sworn in as the president of PDP-Laban, President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party, today, Dec 3—said that he regrets entering politics.
Pacquiao said there are also a lot of corrupt Filipino politicians.
“Because of the system of politics, there's a lot of corrupt (politicians). I'm not saying all of them, but most of them,” Pacquiao said in an interview with internet celebrity Nas Daily’s podcast Nas Talk, posted on Nov 25.
In his podcast, Nas asked Pacquiao what made him decide to take the jump to politics despite having a successful boxing career.
I've been in politics almost for one decade, I'm disappointed... I regret that I entered into politics.
Pacquiao said he didn’t like politics “from the very beginning.”
"I've been in politics almost for one decade, I'm disappointed... I regret that I entered into politics,” he said.
But Pacquiao added he chose to pursue a political career anyway because he wants to “help the people who are in need, because I’ve been there.”
He also believes the Philippines is “not a poor country. In fact, I believe the Philippines is the richest country in the world. But the poor is the people itself.”
The athlete-politician reiterated that most of the politicians and leaders in the country are corrupt.
“But the country itself is a rich country,” he said.
“I am not saying that all of them (are corrupt). If they are affected by my words, I think they're guilty of corruption,” Pacquiao said when asked how he thinks his fellow politicians would react to his statement.
Pacquio has held a position in public office since 2010. He was representative of the province of Sarangani from 2010 to 2016. In 2016, he was elected senator.
In Aug 2020, his trainer Freddie Roach said in an interview with Boxing Scene that Pacquiao is thinking about running for president after he retires from boxing.
Banner photo courtesy of The Philippine Star
