MANILA, Philippines — Parrying insinuations he was flirting via social media, Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Friday said he “is clean” and his wife, Jinkee, was not at all bothered by the latest issue being hurled against him.
In a dzMM radio interview, Pacquiao said his recent Instagram video chat with Maria Ciuffo had something to do with the Chicks in the Office co-host’s request for an interview. Chicks in the Office is described as “the first Instagram account by girls, for girls, featured on a predominately male website.”
When Ciuffo went live on Instagram last Sept. 22, she saw that Pacquiao also went live and told her and her followers, “hello.” She also showed a screenshot of their chat, with Pacquiao saying, “You can call me anytime.”
The boxing icon on Friday clarified that he had told Ciuffo that she could call him up anytime because she wanted to interview him.
“Gusto nila akong interbyuhin, and then sabi ko, “No, I’m not in America, I’m in the Philippines, you can call me anytime,” said Pacquiao.
“Gano’n talaga ang isip ng tao, basta ako, malinis naman ako [That’s how people think but I’m clean],” the senator said, reacting to people who were putting malice in his conversation with Ciuffo.
“Sabi ko nga, bakit sila na-bother [I said, why were they bothered]?” said Pacquiao.
Asked during the radio interview if his wife Jinkee was bothered, Pacquiao said she wasn’t.
“Wala naman. Bawal bang magsabing hello? Bawal na pala ngayon ‘yan [There’s nothing bothering her. Is it already prohibited to say hello? So it’s now forbidden.]
