MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Boxing great Manny Pacquiao was proclaimed Thursday as a winner of a Philippine Senate seat, bringing him closer to a possible crack at the presidency.
At the proclamation ceremony, an elections commissioner introduced Pacquiao as the “people’s champion” and called out his name in the same slow style that he is introduced in his world-famous bouts, drawing cheers from the audience.
The Filipino slugger garnered more than 16 million votes, landing 7th among 12 new members of the Senate, a traditional springboard to the presidency. Earlier this year, he said that he planned to retire from boxing to become a full-time politician.
Asked by The Associated Press if his next target is the presidency, Pacquiao smiled, then said, “Nothing, nothing, nothing” as he rode into his black Cadillac SUV after his proclamation.
Considered a hero in the country, which grinds to a halt during his televised fights to watch him box, Pacquiao has indicated in the past he would consider a run for the presidency. But he has often tried to ditch the topic, saying he was too young.