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Senator Manny Pacquiao on Sunday officially announced his plan to run for president in the 2022 national election after formally accepting the nomination of PDP-Laban faction’s national assembly in Quezon City.

“Tinatanggap ko po ang aking nominasyon bilang kandidato sa pagka-Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas,” Pacquiao said.

PDP–Laban, early this year split into two factions after Pacquiao blocked his party mates’ efforts to push Duterte to run for vice president next year.

Pacquiao’s group is backed by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III – son of PDP-Laban founder and former Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr, while Duterte supports the wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Cusi’s group initially urged Pacquiao to run for senator in a slate top billed by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go for president and Duterte for vice president.

Pacquiao’s camp claimed that Go is only a decoy, as the Cusi wing is actually preparing to field Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio – who is not a PDP-Laban member – as their standard bearer.

Duterte-Carpio denied allegations that she will run for president, and said that she would not “share her light” with the ruling party by endorsing its candidates.

Cusi eventually withdrew the offer, saying the boxing senator has “burned all bridges” with his former allies.

Pacquiao is the second incumbent senator who will seek the Philippines’ highest elected post in 2022.

Earlier this month, Sen. Panfilo Lacson launched his campaign for the presidency with Senate President Vicente Sotto III running as his vice president.

Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said she is “ready” to file her certificate of candidacy for president if chosen as the bet of a united opposition in the 2022 national elections.

“Assurance ko sa lahat, walang duda na ‘pag ako ang unity candidate, handang-handa ako,” she said in her weekly radio program.

Robredo said that given her mandate as vice president, she has been preparing to lead the nation in case she needed to replace the President.

“Matagal na nating pinaghandaan yan, kasi alam naman natin — ang number one mandate ng pangalawang pangulo, magsu-succeed ‘pag may nangyari sa pangulo,” she said.

“So day one ng aking pagka-vice president, obligasyon ko na pinaghahandaan ko yung eventuality na yun. Hindi sa hinihingi natin. ‘Pag may nangyari, yun ang aking responsibility as Vice President.”

She said whoever the opposition will chose to field in 2022, two objectives must be met:

“Yung pagkakandidato ko ba, makakatulong ba siya sa ayaw nating mangyari? Na itong administrasyong ito mag-continue sa 2022? Na si Marcos, bumalik in power? ‘Di ba yan ang ayaw nating mangyari?” she said.

“Ang kinakatakutan ko, alam nating nakikita na natin ngayon na grabe ang korupsyon at the height of the pandemic. Napakadelikado sa bansa na magpatuloy pa ito. Alam natin ang ginawa ni Marcos sa Pilipinas, ‘di speculation,” she added.

Robredo also confirmed plans to meet with Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, both potential presidential candidates in 2022.

The filing of candidacies for the 2022 polls opens on Oct. 1.