Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao to run for presidency in 2022

Pacquiao: "I will always be a fighter.”

Jean Chien Tay | September 19, 2021, 08:41 PM

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Filipino boxing star and senator Manny Pacquiao is set to run for president of the Philippines in the 2022 elections, after accepting the nomination from his faction of allies in the ruling PDP-Laban Party, Reuters reported.

Pacquiao reportedly accepted the nomination during the national assembly of the PDP-Laban faction led by him.

The announcement is hot on the heels of the rivalling faction's decision to nominate President Rodrigo Duterte's long-time aide Christopher "Bong" Go as their presidential candidate, while Duterte will be nominated as the candidate for vice president, Bloomberg reported.

According to Reuters, critics have labelled Duterte's nomination as a ploy to stay in power, as he is legally restricted from running for another six-year candidacy under the constitution.

Pacquiao fell out with Duterte's camp

Pacquiao's faction has yet to declare support for Duterte's bid for vice president.

Pacquiao had a fallout with Duterte's faction when he challenged the president over his stance on issues related to China, Reuters reported.

The 42-year-old senator also criticised the current administration for alleged corrupt practices, as per Bloomberg.

Weeks later, the boxing icon was voted out as the party president of PDP-Laban Party, and relations between the rivalling factions in the ruling party remain tense, according to Reuters.

Pacquiao: "I will always be a fighter"

Announcing his decision to accept the nomination by his allies in a live-streamed speech, Pacquiao said "I'm a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring".

He added that he had never "backed down" from any fight, according to Bloomberg.

Widely considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, and the only boxer to hold world titles in eight different divisions, Pacquiao made no mention of his professional boxing career, Reuters reported.

Despite Pacquiao's popularity, he reportedly trails other potential candidates in opinion polls.

Meanwhile, Duterte's daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio has reportedly topped the opinion polls "consistently".

However, her spokesperson has said that Duterte-Carpio plans to run for re-election as the Mayor of Davao City.

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Top image via Jeoffrey Maitem/Getty Images & @Oddschanger/Twitter