'You Asked for It': Duterte Tells Pacquiao to Probe Corruption in Government

'Do not go anywhere,' the President tells the senator.
Photo/s: Presidential Photo

(UPDATE) President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday called on Sen. Manny Pacquiao to investigate alleged corruption in government saying the champion boxer "asked for it".

Duterte said he was waiting for Pacquiao to name more government agencies that are allegedly involved in corruption after the President dared the senator earlier this week to prove his allegations.

"I expect him to sit in Congress, do not go anywhere, finish and find out the corruption that you are talking about. Kung magreport ka lang ng dalawa isang buwan, then I would say that you are a sh*t," the President said as he answered questions from the media during the inauguration of the LRT-2 East Extension project.

"Magtrabaho ka, hiningi mo yan, nandiyan yung mga papel, start investigating, do not go elsewhere. Comply first with your duty as a senator. Huwag kang pa-absent-absent," he added.

Duterte asked Pacquiao why he raised the issue of corruption just now, when he had been in the public service for so long. He claimed that Pacquiao must have gotten tired of waiting to be announced as the standard bearer of PDP-Laban for the 2022 elections so he started talking about corruption.

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The President also tasked agencies which Pacquiao will mention as being corrupt to cooperate in the investigation.

In response, Pacquiao said the public doesn't want government officials to be fighting at this time.

"Sa gitna ng napipintong pagputok ng Taal Volcano, tulong at solusyon ang hinahanap ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi away. May krisis po, ito ang pagtuunan natin ng pansin ngayon," he said.

Pacquiao, in a radio interview earlier in the day, said he was not attacking Duterte when he pointed to alleged corrupt activities in the government. He was, in fact, helping the President in his campaign against corruption.

He said he would also submit to Malacañang the evidence he received showing corruption in various government agencies.

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