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Duterte tells Pacquiao: Being boxing champ does not mean you are champion in politics

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/07/01/duterte.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Roa Duterte raises the hand of Senator Emmanuel &quot;Manny&quot; Pacquiao during the latter&#x27;s courtesy call to the President in Malacañan on Nov. 14, 2016. Pacquiao has recently captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight title via a unanimous decision against Jesse Vargas. Simeon Celi, Malacanang Photo </figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told Sen. Manny Pacquiao that being a champion in the boxing ring &quot;doesn’t mean to say you are a champion in politics,&quot; further fanning a word war between the pair, who were once close allies. The feud erupted on Monday, after Duterte threatened to expose Pacquiao as a &quot;liar&quot; if the lawmaker failed to prove his claim that the government is 3 times more corrupt than previous administrations. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/02/21/ph-slips-to-115th-place-in-global-corruption-index">PH slips to 115th place in global corruption index</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/10/20/scale-of-corruption-has-become-pandemic-like-during-covid-19-crisis-say-experts">Scale of corruption has become ‘pandemic-like’ during COVID-19 crisis, say experts</a></li></ul>Duterte said the health department, which Pacquiao named as a corrupt agency, has forwarded accounts of loans and pandemic expenses to the senator. &quot;So maghanap pa si Pacquiao ng iba. Siya yong may sabi may corruption, so it is his burden to identify the office,&quot; the President said in a press conference. (Pacquiao should find something else. He is the one who alleged there is corruption.)&quot;You know, when you are a champion in boxing, it doesn’t mean to say you are a champion in politics,&quot; he added. &quot;He’s blubbering his mouth, tapos na. I am waiting for his word, for the next department that he will choose to investigate.&quot; Earlier in the day, Pacquiao said he was not attacking Duterte but is instead supporting the latter&#x27;s anti-corruption campaign when he spoke of corrupt practices in government. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/01/21/not-attacking-the-president-pacquiao-says-only-helping-in-govt-anti-corruption-drive">READ: &#x27;Not attacking the President&#x27;: Pacquiao says only helping in gov&#x27;t anti-corruption drive</a></li></ul>Duterte is chairman of PDP-Laban, while Pacquiao is acting President.<div>PACMAN A &#x27;GONER&#x27;? </div>Duterte went on to claim that Pacquiao &quot;has a scheduled fight, but suddenly nag-back out.&quot; (He backed out.)&quot;Probably he knows that he is too old for that, and failing in his boxing career, kung matalo siya (if he loses), he’s a goner actually,&quot; the President said. Duterte then linked Pacquiao&#x27;s corruption claims to the 2022 elections.Referring to his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is being pushed to run for president by some groups, the Chief Executive said, &quot;Si Inday wala pa. Nirendahan namin yong kabayo namin.&quot;(Inday is not yet--we reined our horse in.)&quot;Suddenly, maybe he (Pacquiao) could not wait for the announcement that PDP will go for him, ayon nagwala, nagsabi corruption dito, corruption doon,&quot; said Duterte. (He went berserk, claiming corruption here, corruption there.)&quot;He has been with government for so long a time as a senator. My question to Pacquiao is, bakit ngayon ka lang nagsalita? At bakit umatras ka doon sa boxing?&quot; he said.(Why speak only now? And why did you back out of the boxing match.)It was not immediately clear which fight Duterte was referring to.He told Pacquiao, &quot;Do not go anywhere, finish and find out the corruption that you are talking about.&quot; &quot;Kung mag-report ka lang dalawa [beses] sa isang buwan, I would say that you are a s***. A s*** is a s***. Magtrabaho ka. Hiningi mo ‘yan, and’yan ‘yong mga papel, start investigating. Do not go elsewhere. Comply first with your duty as a senator... Huwag kang paabsent-absent.&quot; (If you just report for work twice in a month, I would say you are a s***... Work. You asked for that, the documents are there, start investigating... Don&#x27;t be absent.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/24/21/after-absentee-remark-pacquiao-urges-carpio-give-me-a-chance-to-show-real-manny-pacquiao">After &#x27;absentee&#x27; remark, Pacquiao urges Carpio: Give me a chance to show &#x27;real Manny Pacquiao&#x27;</a></li></ul><div>More details to follow. </div>

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told Sen. Manny Pacquiao that being a champion in the boxing ring "doesn’t mean to say you are a champion in politics," further fanning a word war between the pair, who were once close allies.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told Sen. Manny Pacquiao that being a champion in the boxing ring "doesn’t mean to say you are a champion in politics," further fanning a word war between the pair, who were once close allies.

Duterte tells Pacquiao: Being boxing champ does not mean you are champion in politics

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Duterte tells Pacquiao: Being boxing champ does not mean you are champion in politics

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 01, 2021 07:05 PM PHT

Read More:

PDP Laban

politics

2022 elections

Halalan 2022

Rodrigo Duterte

Sara Duterte

Manny Pacquiao

Duterte Pacquiao

Pacquiao 2022

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