Pacquiao to build ‘mega prison’ for corrupt execs

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Manny Pacquiao has renewed his promise to build what he described as a “mega prison” for all public officials involved in shenanigans in the government, making sure as well that they serve time in prison for their dishonest deeds.

“It is impossible to reduce corruption if nobody goes to prison. But if culprits are swiftly jailed, nobody will think of committing corruption or have the courage to do it,” Pacquiao told the second presidential debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections last Sunday.

“I am pained in seeing families who are poor and grow hungry – families denied of opportunities. I always blame the grafters in the government. The mega prison that I will build will be filled with all of them,” he said.

The billionaire global boxing icon and Promdi standard-bearer made the pronouncements after debate moderator Ces Drilon sought all the other presidential contenders’ position regarding reports that government loses P700 billion every year due to corruption.

Pacquiao’s proposed priority program of government centers on putting an end to graft in government to provide enough funds that will finance massive housing, address the unemployment problem and the implementation of other anti-poverty programs.

He aired hopes that the prison facility will put an end to the poverty that he and his family experienced during his youth.

At the same time, Pacquiao is aghast at the country’s record high P12-trillion foreign debt, attributing this to all past administrations’ borrowing spree, thereby drowning the government into a situation where it is spending more than what it is earning.

“What is happening now is that our country’s expenses are higher than its earnings because we have no more income,” the presidential candidate complained during Go Negosyo’s KandidaTalks hosted by presidential adviser on the economy Joey Concepcion.

Pacquiao made the pronouncement as he argued why other presidential candidates are not discussing other sources of income, like generation of more revenues for the government.

“Why are we always discussing taxes? Is it because someone corrupt will be hurt?” he said.

Having come from humble beginnings before he was discovered as a boxer, Pacquiao said he could not understand why all the past presidents – perhaps, even before Marcos in 1965 and up to the incumbent – opted to keep on borrowing funds from lending institutions.

“They say they are intelligent and claim to be smarter, but why is it that not only in the past decade, but in the past three or four decades, they allowed the country to spend more and earn less? Why did you let this happen? I thought you were all intelligent?” he said.

“If it were up to me, I would not let that happen. I don’t want to let this happen, that our country’s expenses are more than its earnings. I want the earnings to be bigger than expenses,” he added.

“If that is what you studied in your school, I don’t want to study in your school if that is the principle you have been following – that expenses can be higher than earnings,” the global boxing icon said.

Pacquiao instead proposed that the national government should not just be relying on tax revenue income alone, but that it should also try to tap other non-tax revenue income on an annual basis for purposes of handling the country’s fiscal condition better.

He promised to prioritize providing jobs for each family to recover from the impact of the two-year pandemic and at the same time, allocate funds for micro, small and medium enterprises, along with fighting corruption in his first 100 days in office if he wins.