Pacquiao: No supporter got paid to join rallies, motorcades

Presidential aspirant and Senator Manny Pacquiao on Saturday said all of his rallies and motorcades were attended by “legitimate die-hard supporters and believers.”

Pacquiao issued the statement after Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, also a presidential aspirant, recently alleged that certain politicians pay individuals to participate in rallies and motorcades.

"Hindi tayo yun. Sa atin talagang wala naman tayong ibinabayad sa kanila. Masayang-masaya ang puso ko dahil all-out support sila sa akin at nakita ko kung paano yung pag-welcome nila sa akin. Mainit ang pagtanggap sa akin sa mga lugar na pinupuntahan namin. At yun ay hindi hakot at yun ay hindi binayaran," Pacquiao said.

(It's not me. I really don't pay them anything. My heart is very happy because of their all-out support and I saw how they welcomed me. I was warmly received in the places that we visited. They were not paid supporters.)

"Yung mga tao na talagang sumisigaw at nagbibigay ng suporta sa atin ay yun ay hindi hakot. Talagang kusang loob silang sumusuporta sa atin," he added.

(The people who are really shouting and giving us support are not being paid. They are willing to support us.)

Moreno earlier said that at least P300 to P500 were being given to each supporter to join rallies, while P1,500 were handed to those taking part in motorcades.

Giving money to people to entice them to attend motorcades and rallies, according to Pacquiao, is not the same as providing relief and cash aid to poor communities.

The senator said there is nothing wrong with giving "ayuda" as he has been doing it even before he entered politics.

"Kung ano man yung pinamimigay natin ay ipinagpapatuloy ko na lang yung ginagawa ko mula pa noon..yung pagbibigay ng ayuda, yung pagtulong  sa mga kababayan natin na nahihirapan,” he added.

(I am doing what I have been doing ever since. Giving aid, helping our countrymen who are having difficulties.)

GMA News Online reached out to Moreno for comment on the matter, but he has yet to respond as of posting time. — VBL, GMA News