Senator Manny Pacquiao has admission on using illegal drugs.
Pinoy ring icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao did not deny but admitted he once used illegal drugs, as the Senate continue to conduct an investigation on extra-judicial killings in the Philippines.
On Monday, Pacquiao took part on the investigation of the Senate committee on justice where the alleged members Davao Death Squad (DDS) mentioned before by Edgar Matobato.
In front of his fellow senators, Pacquiao that he was once a drug user and he regrets that he got tempted into the illegal vice.
“Hindi ko dine-deny na tumikim din ako ng mga ganyan pero doon ko na-realize lahat na hindi talaga maganda,” Pacquiao said during a Senate on extrajudicial killings being linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.
[I’m not denying that I once tried drugs but I realized it was not good for me.]
Pacquiao earlier admitted in a Reuters story published last week that as a teen, he had used illegal drugs.
He said he took all kinds of drugs as a teenager but fully supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs, as an ally.
He said his own experience as a reformed drug user is the reason why he supports Duterte’s war on drugs.
“This is the first time, sa buong buhay ko, napakasaya ko sa sarili ko dahil itong administration na ito ang unang talagang head on dito sa problema ng illegal drugs,” he said.
[This is the first time in my life I felt this happy because we have an administration that tackles head on the problem on illegal drugs.]
As of now, the anti-drugs campaign of Duterte has led to the killing of more than 3,000 people, mostly users and pushers, since he assumed office on June 30.
Pacquiao has said Duterte was anointed by God to discipline the Filipino people and his authority must be respected.
“The president, he doesn’t know my experience with drugs,” said Pacquiao, 37, adding he was confident it wouldn’t damage their close relationship.
“He always gives a chance to people who want to be changed,” said the boxer-turned-lawmaker in an interview in his senate office.
“I tried drugs… many kinds of drugs, all kinds of drugs,” he said, dressed in the traditional white Filipino barong shirt and trousers.