Manny Pacquiao has another fight, one he wasn’t seeking.
Pacquiao, who jumped into the fight against coronavirus by supporting Filipino medical personnel, is angry that his family’s move into quarantine has become public.
Pacquiao, a Filipino Senator, is demanding an investigation. He says his right to privacy was violated by a news leak of a letter urging the welterweight champion to go into self-quarantine after meeting with a political colleague who tested positive for the virus.
“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,’’ Pacquiao said in a statement to The Philippine Daily Inquirer. “Meantime, I will refer this matter to the appropriate agency for proper investigation to avoid the same incident from happening.’’
Pacquiao hosted a dinner for members of his political party. One of the attendees was Senator Aquilino Pimentel III. The dinner happened on March 4. A few days later, Pimentel said he was suffering from coronavirus symptoms.
Pacquiao announced a couple of days ago that he had tested negative. At about the same time, a letter asking Pacquiao and his family to go into quarantine, appeared on social media.
“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,” according to a letter from a local official, Rossana Hwang, who said the recommendation was based on advice from a physician attached to a local health department.
Hwang said she had video of the dinner.
“Let me also emphasize that it was not ‘partying’ as stated in your letter,’’ Pacquiao said to Hwang in a statement. “It was a political meeting. The word ‘partying’ casts me as someone insensitive to the current crisis of the nation.”
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) last fought on July 7, scoring a split decision over Keith Thurman for a 147-pound belt. He had hoped to be back in the ring this July, although it’s not clear whether boxing will return by then because of the ongoing pandemic.