No Senate return for Manny Pacquiao

Senate bet Manny Pacquiao during a campaign rally.–CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Wendell Alinea

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao failed in his bid to return to Senate running 18th in the partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of 10:28 a.m. on Tuesday.

Pacquiao of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) has garnered 8,404,314 votes so far, trailing by more than 2.3 million votes for the 12th and final Senate seat with 80.51 percent of election returns transmitted and 46,206,398 votes counted. Imee Marcos currently holds the final spot with 10,720,865 votes.

READ: Manny Pacquiao to fight Mario Barrios in July, says WBC president

On Monday, Pacquiao, with his wife Jinkee, arrived as early as 8 a.m. at Kiamba Central Elementary School, where he’s been a registered voter since 2010, to cast his vote.

“Maaga akong bumoto ngayong araw. Bilang isang mamamayang Pilipino, tungkulin nating bumoto para sa kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Tandaang ang boto mo ay may boses at ang boses mo ay may kapangyarihan,” Pacquiao posted on his Facebook page.

(I voted early today. It’s my duty as a Filipino citizen to vote for our country’s future. Remember your vote has a voice, and your voice has power.)

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Pacquiao was eyeing a Senate return after losing his presidential bid three years ago eight months after announcing his retirement from boxing.

The eight-division world champion was elected senator in 2016 after placing seventh in the race with 16,050,546 votes.

In the 2022 presidential elections, Pacquiao finished a distant third with 3,663,113 votes.

The 46-year-old Pacquiao is set for his ring return to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship on July 19 in Las Vegas.