“If Sen. Manny Pacquiao has friends who would nominate him to 1Sambayan, welcome,” said Jesuit priest Albert Alejo, one of the conveners of the coalition, in an online forum. ADVERTISEMENT“If someone nominates him, we will ask if he is willing to submit to the process. Carpio also said earlier that Pacquiao was not being considered as their presidential candidate because of the senator’s perceived closeness to President Duterte. The subsequent verbal spat between the President and the senator has been fueling infighting in the ruling PDP-Laban that threatens to further diminish the minority plurality that elected Rodrigo Duterte President in 2016. ADVERTISEMENTUnfazedCarpio was also unfazed by early surveys claiming that Mr. Duterte and his daughter lead the list of possible presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 15, 2021 21:45 UTC