Coronavirus: ‘Angry’ Pacquiao Demands Investigation Into Leaked Private Letter

Coronavirus: 'Angry' Pacquiao Demands Investigation Into Leaked Private Letter
Manny Pacquiao (R) of the Philippines fight Jeff Horn (L) of Australia during the World Boxing Organization boat at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on July 1, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Patrick HAMILTON /

Filipino professional boxer and a Senator of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, has stated that he wants an investigation into a leaked private letter issued by Dasmarinas Village calling for his entire household to go into quarantine following his exposure to a colleague, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who tested positive for the coronavirus disease (covid-19).

Concise News reports that there was a video where Pacquiao hosted a dinner event for the political party PDP-Laban, which was attended by Pimentel and other guests on March 4.

A copy of the said letter to ‘Pacman’ was being circulated on social media over the weekend.

“For your own family and household’s safety, please have yourself self-quarantined, STAY HOME. No one including any of your household can come out,” the letter from village chief Rossana Hwang read, saying the measure was recommended by the Makati Health Department and a doctor from the Makati Medical Center.

Hwang also wrote that they could purchase essential items for the Pacquiao household, and asked the boxer to “please be a model example” in light of the tightened village security to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Hwang cited the video as evidence that Pacquiao could have been exposed to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao fired back by calling out Hwang in another letter, saying the leaked document “has been [the] subject of several news reports and malicious social media posts,” The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

“In this regard, I wish to know how this private letter addressed to me went around social media with total disregard for my right to privacy.

“Meantime, I will refer this matter to the appropriate agency for proper investigation to avoid the same incident from happening,” Pacquiao wrote.

“Let me also emphasize that it was not ‘partying’ as stated in your letter. It was a political meeting. The word ‘partying’ casts me as someone insensitive to the current crisis of the nation,” Pacquiao added, referring to the dinner for PDP-Laban members, Rappler reports.

Pacquiao, who tested negative for the virus, also added that the March 4 dinner happened days before Pimentel admitted to showing symptoms.

The fighter, regarded by many boxing historians as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time, stated that he and his family had been observing social distancing prior to the village officials’ directive and had “placed ourselves on quarantine since March 24, Tuesday.”

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