Senator Manny Pacquiao, who was set to attend the press conference with his fellow presidentiables on Sunday, was absent due to air traffic which his camp has called a “divine intervention”.

Pacquiao’s campaign chief, Buddy Zamora, cited air traffic congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the delayed arrival from General Santos City and eventual failure to attend the event at The Peninsula Manila Hotel alongside Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, and Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Per Zamora, Pacquiao’s plane hovered for about an hour before it was cleared to land.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Pacquiao camp shared that “It was divine intervention that prevented Senator Manny Pacquiao from attending the controversial joint press conference of his fellow presidentiables” .

In an interview with ANC’s “Headstart”, Zamora said Pacquiao had “every intention of joining” the presscon because he gave his word to Lacson.

“He couldn’t make it on time. We (campaign team) were not privy to the invitation. We were on vacation at that time. This happened on Easter Sunday. So the decision of Sen. Pacquiao was made in GenSan and without our prior knowledge,” he said.

Zamora said Pacquiao agreed with the group’s call for unity, but clarified that unlike Domagoso, Pacquiao does not want Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from the race.

“Mr. Pacquiao believes that the choice is up to the people and since everybody filed the candidacy for the presidency, he’d want the choice to be really coming from the people, not because of withdrawal,“ Zamora said.