Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday said that he wants those who will steal from the country to be sent behind bars if he becomes president after the May polls.
"Gusto kong makita sa kulungan ang lahat ng magnanakaw sa gobyerno na siyang dahilan ng paghihirap ng sambayangang Pilipino," he said during the KBP Presidential Forum.
(I want to see behind jail those who will steal from the government, which is the reason why the Filipinos are poor.)
This was part of the senator's promise to eliminate corruption in the Philippines. He also vowed to give Filipinos a better life with free housing and more livelihood.
"Lalong-lalo na 'yung maayos na tahanan, libreng pabahay natin para sa ating kababayan, at trabaho po para sa ating mga kababayan, negosyo, hanapbuhay para sa pamilya. 'Yan po ang titiyakin ko," he said.
(Especially on better houses, free homes for Filipinos, jobs for Filipinos, and livelihood for families. I will assure you of that.)
According to Pacquiao, smart presidents have only made poverty more widespread in the country, adding that he should be elected because he understands the struggle of Filipinos.
"Marami na pong namuno sa ating bansa na sinasabing matatalino, pero ano pong nangyari sa atin? Mas lalo pong dumami ang naghihirap na mga Pilipino," he said.
(There have been a lot of leaders in this country who said they are smart, but what happened to us? More Filipinos became poor.)
"Kaya po ako ang nararapat na mamuno ng ating bansa dahil ramdam ko po ang naramdaman at pinagdaanan ng ating mga kababayan," he said.
(I should be the next president because I know what they feel and I understand the struggle of our countrymen.)
"Kung paano ako nangarap para maiahon sa kahirapan ang aking pamilya, ang aking mga relatives, ganun din po ang aking pangarap na maiahon sa kahirapan ang buong sambyaang Pilipino."
(Just like how I dreamed of lifting my family and relatives out of poverty, that is also my dream to lift Filipinos from poverty.)
Pacquiao is running under the PDP-Laban faction of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III.
