RETIRED boxer Manny Pacquiao faced another defeat this week as partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections showed that he was trailing a far third in the presidential race.
“The people have spoken,” he said in an address broadcast on his Facebook page. “Tapos na ang halalan, kaya bigyan namin natin ng pagkakataon ang pagkakaisa para sa bayan at kaunlaran para sa ating bansa.”
Calling his campaign the fruit of an “utmost desire to serve the country and uplift the lives of all the Filipinos,” the senator nevertheless recognized when to throw in the towel.
“Bilang boxer at atleta, marunong akong tumanggap ng pagkatalo.”
Pacquiao has message for Marcos
In the partial and unofficial results recorded by the Comelec as of 10:32 p.m. (with 98.16 percent of electoral returns), Pacquiao had garnered a total of 3,627,960 votes. Second-placer Leni Robredo is at 14,798,975, while frontrunner Bongbong Marcos dwarfs them all with an outsize 31,050,971 votes.
“Sana lang kahit talo ako sa laban na ito, panalo pa rin ang kapwa ko Pilipino, ‘yung mga naghihirap,” added Pacquiao, who ran on a platform focused on fighting corruption and homelessness.
To Marcos, he had this message: “Ako’y nananalangin para sa tagumpay ng iyong administrasyon, na maraming mahihirap ang mai-angat ang buhay at matulungan.”
He said that he would be taking this time to rest and spend time with his family.
Earlier today, presidential hopefuls Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Manila mayor Isko Moreno, labor leader Ka Leody De Guzman, and Mindanao businessman Faisal Mangondato also admitted defeat.
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