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MANILA, Philippines – Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao said Thursday, March 10, that scammers have been using his name to charge money, supposedly in exchange for financial aid and food packs.

In a statement on Tuesday, March 10, Pacquiao said that scammers have gone around Candaba town in Pampanga and have duped residents into paying P250 for an ID card to be a member of the bogus organization of Pacquiao supporters.

This ID card, Pacquiao learned, was supposed to be an identifier that they would receive groceries and cash aid from the presidential candidate once he visits the town.

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“Ipahuhuli ko ang mga gumagawa nito.  Kapag hindi kayo lumantad diyan, mapipilitan akong magbigay ng reward para lamang madampot kayo,” said Pacquiao.

(I will have those who did this arrested. If you don’t surface, I will be forced to give a reward just so you get arrested.)

Pacquiao said that the complaint has already been referred to the Candaba police.

“Alam ninyo, halang ang kaluluwa ng mga ito eh. Kung iisipin natin ang mga binibiktima ninyo isang kahig, isang tuka – ang mga mahihirap,” he said.

(You know, these people have an evil soul. If we think about it, the people you victimize were people who live from hand to mouth – the poor.)

Barangay poll postponement

While in Central Luzon, Pacquiao also said that he supports the postponement of barangay elections in December.

He said that he would rather have the budget used to fund the government’s pandemic response. 

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“Hindi pa tayo nakaka-recover. Sayang naman iyong more or less P8 billion na gagastusin natin sa barangay elections… Malaking halaga iyan eh, ituun natin para sa ayuda, para makabangon muli ang ating mga kababayan na talagang nahirapan sa pandemic,” he said.

(We haven’t fully recovered from the pandemic. The more or less P8 billion could be used for purposes other than barangay elections… That’s a huge amount, let’s just use it for cash aid to help our countrymen who really had it worse during the pandemic.)

Aside from Pacquiao, Mayor Isko Moreno, and Senator Panfilo Lacson also support the postponement of barangay polls this year.

Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections have been repeatedly postponed during the Duterte administration. The last time elections were held was in 2018, but it was supposed to happen in 2016.

The next Barangay and SK elections are supposed to be done on December 5. In November 2021, Davao Oriental Representative Joel Almario filed a bill seeking to postpone it to 2024.  – Rappler.com