Pacquiao Poised for Political Shine as Duterte’s Party President Dethroned
In a Tuesday shuffle at the Philippines’ ruling move, former boxing champion‑turned‑senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was voted out from the top spot of the administration‑backed Democratic Party. The change came just weeks after the weight‑class legend publicly pushed back against President Rodrigo Duterte over China relationship and corruption probes.
Why the Power Shift?
- Pacquiao, 42, had long been Duterte’s biggest cheerleader, championing the President’s war on drugs and the push to bring back the death penalty.
- Last month, a rift erupted when Pacquiao slammed Duterte for a supposedly “soft” stance toward China’s South China Sea antics and hinted at hunting for graft in the government.
- At a National Assembly meeting on Saturday, the party’s faction, spearheaded by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi—a close Duterte ally—voted for Cusi to take over as the new party president.
Official Domination & Tenure Limits
Party deputy secretary general Melvin Matibag told reporters that the decision was forced by the fact that existing officials had already hit the two‑year term cap. Duterte, still the party’s chairman, declared the group “strong as ever” and vowed to keep the ranks tight “until the end of my term and beyond.”
Pacquiao’s Counter‑Focus
The former eight‑division champion insisted that the party’s main priority should be the fight against the newer, more transmissible Delta spike of COVID‑19. He’s currently in the United States training for a welterweight title match and has yet to formally say whether he’s leaning toward a presidential run.
What’s Next?
Brings a mix of boxing swagger and political ambition, Pacquiao keeps the headlines buzzing as he potentially steps into the fray for Duterte’s future successor. For now, the party’s shift signals a new era—one that must juggle corruption investigations, an evolving pandemic, and the quest for democratic stability.
