ALABEL (Philippines) - PHILIPPINE political heavyweights are courting boxing idol Manny Pacquiao to win his endorsement for the May 2010 presidential elections in an effort to cash in on his soaring popularity.
Pacquiao said here on Sunday he would soon announce which candidate he is backing but denied reports he was already aligned with Senator Manuel Villar, one of the front-runners in the presidential race.
'I will announce later what is my (national) party and who is the presidential candidate I am aligning with,' he told reporters in this southern Philippine town at a gathering of his 'People's Champ Movement,' a new local party Pacquiao is starting.
He admitted meeting with Mr Villar in Manila on Friday but denied that he had already joined forces with his Nacionalista Party (NP). 'I did not give any commitment,' he said.
Manila dailies gave front page coverage to reports that Mr Villar was offering to make Pacquiao the official NP candidate for congress in the southern province of Sarangani. This is despite a longtime alliance between Pacquiao and President Gloria Arroyo who has endorsed another candidate, ex-defence chief Gilberto Teodoro, as her presidential bet.
In Manila, Arroyo spokesman Cerge Remonde downplayed the speculation, saying 'that is between Manny Villar and Manny Pacquiao. We will not interfere in that and we will not complain if this (alliance) happens. -- AFP
