Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday came to the defense of Senator Manny Pacquiao after the eight-time world boxing champion was criticized by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for lacking the competence to become president of the Philippines.
“Don’t vote for (Pacquaio) but honor him,” Locsin posted on his Twitter.
He made the statement after Carpio, lead convenor of the 1Sambayan party, disparaged Pacquiao’s competence to lead the country.
Carpio, who launched last week a broad coalition of democratic forces to come up with the opposition’s single slate for president, vice president and senators in the 2022 national elections, even criticized Pacquiao’s poor attendance in legislative sessions.
“As congressman, Pacquiao was the number one absentee, he was the topnotch in absences in Congress. As senator, he again topped, he was number one in absences,” Carpio said.
“That basic qualification, competence, is not there,” the former justice stressed.
In defending Pacquiao, Locsin said: “Yes but he is a good and honest man in every fiber of his being; kindness personified in the man who gave our country the greatest honor since EDSA ’86: he made us proud again to be Filipino.”
“He did it with less fuss: in a square ring—again and again,” the Foreign Affairs chief added.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao debunked Carpio’s criticism of his past record as a top absentee in Congress, saying his “record as a legislator can speak for itself” despite his absences.
At least two senators have revealed that Pacquiao is interested in running for president in next year’s polls. The boxing champion neither confirmed nor denied the reports.