'Walk the talk': Palace tells Pacquiao on corruption allegations vs Duterte admin

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday challenged Sen. Manny Pacquiao to "walk the talk" on corruption days after President Rodrigo Duterte raised the tax evasion complaint against the senator who recently tagged a number of state agencies in anomalies.

The relationship of once close allies Duterte and Pacquiao have deteriorated, with the president threatening to campaign against the senator during the 2022 polls if he fails to name the corrupt government agencies. The boxer-turned-senator is reportedly eyeing the presidency next year. Pacquiao has accepted Duterte's challenge and has identified the health, social welfare, energy and environment departments as among the agencies that are into irregularities. The Duterte administration has downplayed the senator's allegations, saying they are not backed by evidence.

During a meeting with officials of the ruling party PDP-Laban last Tuesday, Duterte said Pacquiao has a tax evasion case and that the senator owes the government P2.2 billion in taxes that stemmed from his earnings from a boxing match. The president added that an official who cheats the government is "corrupt."

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque claimed the president's remark was not meant to get back at Pacquiao for criticizing the alleged corruption in some agencies.

"That's not revenge. That’s a case filed against him a long time ago at the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue)," Roque said at a press briefing.  

"That's why the president said, 'I thought you're anti-corruption?' You have to walk the talk if you’re against corruption. How come you yourself are not paying taxes, which is really a form of corruption because you are, at the same time, a public officer," he added.

Duterte has said he would check the status of the tax evasion case against Pacquiao. The senator, who left the country last weekend to prepare for his next boxing match in Las Vegas, has yet to react to the president's latest tirade against him. In 2018, the Court of Tax Appeals ordered the BIR to “cease and desist” from collecting P3.29-billion alleged tax deficiency of Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee for 2008 and 2009  because of lack of merit.

Last Wednesday, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Sen. Richard Gordon said Pacquiao has yet to file a resolution seeking an investigation on the alleged irregularities in some agencies.