Speaking to CNN in an interview on November 11, the presidential candidate stated he deliberate to research some members of President Rodrigo Duterte's outgoing administration."All those corrupt officials should be jailed," he stated. "That's the only way that we can have economic growth in our country, because that's the cancer of this country, the hindrance of development."Pacquiao hopes to succeed Duterte when the Philippines goes to the polls on May 9, 2023, with official campaigning not scheduled to begin till February.But the race is already heating up.
One of the frontrunners is Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. -- the 64-year-old controversial son and namesake of the late dictator accused of stealing billions from the nation throughout a two-and-a-half-decade reign throughout which hundreds of individuals have been imprisoned and tortured.
Some specialists estimate the Marcos household amassed greater than $10 billion through the dictatorship. Marcos Jr. has claimed most of the allegations in opposition to his household are slanderous.
Pacquiao's agenda contains attempting to recoup a number of the "stolen wealth" from the Marcos household, who have been exiled for greater than 5 years following a 1986 revolution. "I am not scared," Pacquiao stated. "This is my fight to give development to our country, to jail those who are continuously stealing the Philippines of its wealth. I want them jailed."
A large open discipline
Weeks of hypothesis ended on Tuesday when Marcos Jr. and Duterte's eldest daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, confirmed they are going to be working mates within the election.
Duterte-Carpio, 43, will stand for vice chairman -- elected individually from the President -- on the identical ticket as Marcos Jr., cementing an alliance between the 2 highly effective households.Among the opposite essential candidates for the highest job are Duterte's longtime aide, Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go; incumbent vice chairman and Duterte critic Leni Robredo; and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, a former actor.According to Richard Heydarian, affiliate professor in politics at Polytechnic University of the Philippines, dynasties and celebrities have dominated the nation's politics because the fall of the Marcos dictatorship. "For a while, the celebrities presented themselves as kind of a self-made alternatives to political dynasties," he stated. "Nonetheless, just because you're a celebrity doesn't mean you're going to win."But Pacquiao has a combating likelihood.The huge discipline of candidates, mixed with the Philippines' first-past-the-post electoral system might work to the former boxer's benefit, Heydarian stated."Let's not forget, in the Philippines, we have no run-off elections," he stated. "All you have to do to become the President is to win more votes than everyone else."In 2016, Duterte did simply that -- profitable the presidency with simply over 39% of the vote.
Despite criticism that he prioritized his boxing profession over his congressional function, Pacquiao's political star has risen over the previous 5 years underneath Duterte's rule.But relations between the 2 males have faltered in latest months.Signs of a rift within the ruling PDP-Laban social gathering started in March when the former boxer criticized Duterte's stance on a maritime dispute with China and accused authorities companies of corruption.
Speaking to CNN, Pacquiao additionally questioned the Duterte administration's dealing with of Covid-19.
"The Filipinos are dismayed with how the people in charge of the Covid response handled the pandemic," Pacquiao stated. "We are the laughing stock in terms of Covid response as well as corruption in the government."
In July, Pacquiao stated $200 million in pandemic support meant for the nation's poorest individuals was unaccounted for. Duterte responded by difficult Pacquiao to call corrupt authorities officers to show the former boxer was not simply politicking forward of the election.
The race for President has been repeatedly overshadowed by the controversial incumbent, who's at the moment dealing with an International Criminal Court investigation into his "war on drugs," through which police say greater than 6,600 individuals have been killed. The authorities has stated it is not going to cooperate with a global probe as a result of the Philippines has a functioning justice system.
Duterte, who's barred by the Constitution from in search of a second time period, will run for senator in subsequent yr's election. Meanwhile, his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, is working to exchange Duterte-Carpio as mayor of Davao, on the southern island of Mindanao.
According to Heydarian, the outgoing President "needs a fortress, because the International Criminal Court most likely will push ahead with full-scale investigation. And we may even see warrants of arrest against some of the top officials in the Philippines."Pacquiao stated he would examine the Duterte administration for its function within the killings."I will continue the war on drugs in the right way," Pacquiao stated. "You don't need to kill them in the streets, there's a due process, (giving) them the chance to defend themselves to prove that they are innocent."
Pacquiao's recognition
Unlike a few of his rivals for the presidency, Pacquiao was born into poverty.
He bought sweet and cigarettes on the streets as a toddler to offer for his siblings and single mom and started his boxing profession combating for a number of pesos in unsanctioned bouts.The solely boxer ever to win world titles in eight totally different weight divisions, Pacquiao retired from boxing this yr following a glittering 26-year profession.
His success within the ring and famed generosity -- in 2016 he estimated he'd given away $200 million to assist the poor -- have made him a nationwide icon.
Though his non-traditional profession route has postpone many within the middle-class, Pacquiao is massively common amongst poor Filipinos, who're impressed by his rags-to-riches story, based on Heydarian, from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. "Pacquiao has 100% name recognition, Pacquiao has lots of money, he has (a) network across the country, and he's a very charismatic guy," Heydarian stated. "He also comes from a very poor background (and) his life story is also extremely inspiring."Pacquiao stated it's his uncommon path -- and his self-made success -- that units him aside from different candidates."I am not a traditional politician," Pacquiao stated. "I'm a really ahead and direct particular person, I don't hesitate to say what is correct."I want to give Filipinos a good life, a good future, that is my goal, that's why I entered politics."
Additional reporting by Reuters and CNN's Ben Westcott.
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