Hinihiling ng mga kasamahan sa Kongreso ni Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao na pag-isipan muna niyang mabuti ang planong pagkandidatong senador sa 2016, nagbabalang ang posibilidad na maluklok siya sa Senado ay “tantamount to exiling him to perdition.”

Nagbabala sina AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe at Magdalo Party-list Rep. Francisco Ashley Acedillo kay Pacquiao laban sa pagkandidatong senador, makaraang ideklara kamakailan ni Vice President Jejomar Binay na “hinog” na ang eight-division world boxing champion para kumandidato sa mataas na kapulungan.

“Pacquiao can run and might even win as senator, but the job is not suited for him. Pacquiao’s talents and acievements are more relevant to positions that will inspire and unify our people to action just like Katniss’ role in the Hunger Games-Mockingjay movie. We will be doing a great disservice to Paquiao and the country if we put him in the Senate where the gift of gab and not jab is the main qualification,” sinabi ni Batocabe sa panayam.

“Besides, electing Pacquiao to the Senate is tantamount to exiling him to perdition. As I am sure, for an action man like Pacquiao who prefers to talk less, his six-year term will be the saddest chapter of his life,” babala pa niya.

Iginiit na hindi biro ang trabaho ng isang senador, hiniling din ni Acedillo kay Pacquiao na pagdesisyunan kung alin ang dapat nitong paglaanan ng oras, kung ang boksing at iba pang aktibidad, dahil mahalagang tutukan nito ang paggawa at pagpapasa ng batas.

“My question is this: Are we ready to let go of him as our boxing and national icon and come to terms with him as a full-time politician? Because as far as I understand, he cannot excel in one without spending less time on the other,” sinabi ni Batocabe sa isang hiwalay na panayam.

Sumang-ayon din si House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. sa mga kapwa niya kongresista na bago kumandidatong senador ay dapat na tutukan muna ni Pacquiao ang paggawa ng batas at regular na pagdalo sa mga sesyon.