Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao’s senatorial slate has been completed with the additions of reelectionist Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and former senator JV Ejercito.

Pacquiao announced the inclusion of Gatchalian and Ejercito in his senatorial slate on Tuesday during his visit to Laguna, when asked if he would be open to adopting President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Actually napupuno na yung lineup ko kasi andito na sa amin, sumama sa amin si [Senator Sherwin] Gatchalian… At saka andyan pa si JV [Ejercito],” Pacquiao said.

Regarding the question if he is willing to include Duterte in his senatorial slate, Pacquiao said he is yet to decide on the matter.

Meanwhile, presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno previously stated that he was willing to accept Duterte as a guest senatorial candidate for his Aksyon Demokratiko party.

However, Duterte and Pacquiao have been in conflict due to internal strife within the PDP-Laban, which has split the party into two factions. 

A split within the PDP–Laban, emerged when Pacquiao started to criticize Duterte and the government over alleged corruption and the government’s mishandling of the pandemic.

Pacquiao also claims to be the leader of one faction of the PDP-Laban, while the President backs Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi’s group. 

Warring groups in the ruling PDP-Laban party now have different chairmen: President Duterte for the Cusi wing, and Sen. Pimentel for the Pacquiao camp.

He said that despite their strife and differences, he does not hold a grudge against Duterte.

Initially, Pacquiao’s senatorial slate includes broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, former vice president Jejomar Binay, Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Joel Villanueva, former senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero, former Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Colmenares, former governor Lutgardo Barbo, and labor leader Elmer Labog.

Photo Credit: Facebook/MannyPacquiao