There has been talk of Manny Pacquiao making a run at the presidency in the Philippines over the past couple of years, and the legendary boxer has now confirmed it is happening.
Pacquiao, who has been a senator in the Philippines since 2016, accepted the nomination of his PDP-Laban party at its national convention on Sunday. That means he will run for president in 2022.
“I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring,” Pacquiao said in his speech, according to The Associated Press. We need government to serve our people with integrity, compassion and transparency.”
Current president Rodrigo Duterte is unable to seek a second six-year term. He is planning to run for vice president with another candidate. Pacquiao has accused Duterte’s administration of making corruption worse in the Philippines. The 42-year-old said politicians who have been responsible for corruption in the nation “will soon end in jail together.”
Duterte said in 2017 that he wanted Pacquiao to succeed him, but it would appear things have changed. The party supporting Duterte plans to petition the Commission on Elections to declare Pacquiao an illegitimate officer of the ruling party, according to the AP.
Pacquiao suffered an upset loss to Yordenis Ugas in their fight last month. He said he was considering retirement, and his decision to run for the presidency in the Philippines could signal that he is shifting his focus solely to politics.
