The mother of Filipino boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is elated over the reported withdrawal of her son from the May 14 elections.
“Natutuwa ako. Parang pati ang lola niya ay natutuwa (I am happy. Even his grandmother is happy),” Dionisia Pacquiao said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s Magandang Umaga Pilipinas (MUP) on Tuesday.
In a separate MUP interview, Manila mayor Lito Atienza revealed that he was able to convince Pacquiao to shelve his political plans to be able to focus on boxing.
“He will set aside politics [for] now and concentrate on his boxing career and his coming fight with (Jorge) Solis of Mexico,” he said.
Pacquiao had planned to challenge South Cotabato First District Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio in the midterm polls.
His family, friends, supporters and critics, however, have been convincing him not to push through and instead focus on his boxing career, which has given him wealth and fame and brought honor to the Philippines.
