PEOPLE CLAIMING to be followers of Manny Pacquiao yesterday denied that they were paid to heckle the Filipino boxing hero when he showed up to watch the fights at the Cebu City Sports Complex over the weekend.
Reacting to an article in yesterday’s issue, the boxing fans, many of whom write blogs on the website mannypacquiao.ph, said their booing was to show displeasure over Pacquiao’s plans to run as congressman in the first district of South Cotabato on May 14.
During the fight watched by Pacquiao, some of the protesters carried posters and streamers showing their feelings against Pacquiao’s political plans.
“Get back to the gym,” one poster said.
Other messages e-mailed to the Bulletin include:
“I just want him to know that the group whom he describes as well organized are hardcore boxing fans that often log on to www.mannypacquiao.ph! We’re not in any way connected to any politician. We are just boxing fans, and a fan of Pacquiao too. We don’t want him to enter politics at this stage and booing him is one way to make him realize that most of his fans don’t like the idea of him running!” wrote a certain a.p.i.
“I, together with the rest of Cebu Paclanders, are not paid hacks of anyone,” said Ironwood, noting that Cebu Paclanders are known to be very organized and that they all dug deep into their own pockets to put up the large streamers that called for Pacquiao to abandon his political plans and “get back to the gym.”
“I don’t like his article and pretty much inaccurate and has very little effort in it to verify the news. Very biased news. He only needs to go to Manny’s website and find out for himself the sentiments of Manny’s fans on his political ambitions,” wrote Darwin Tolentino.
“Hey Nick, before writing some trash about the people booing in Cebu look first on both sides okay? It’s us the fans from PACLAND (mannypacquiao.ph) that organized the booing because we want our idol to stick to boxing at this point in his life and not to be used in politics. Go to our site and look around, you may even pick-up something to write,” wrote pogisam
“The people who jeered him are Pacquiao fans who only want the best of him. Those boos are not caused by hate, but by their concern for their idol. I am not there when that happened but if you’ll only visit mannypacquiao.ph where lots of Pacfans spend their time, you will know that what I’m saying is true. Those who booed him are his own fans. Pacquiao can run on whatever position he may want, but not now that he’s still active in boxing. Not now that he’s in his prime. Not now that he can bring pride for our country. Real Pacfans supports Manny but not to the extent of ruining his career because of politics. Politics is a lot dirtier arena than boxing. Thank you for your time reading this feedback.” wrote Eric B.
Used to being mobbed and idolized, Pacquiao was booed for the first time when he entered the Cebu City Sports Complex to watch last Saturday’s title fights by Cebu’s Tony Aldeguer and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
He was accompanied by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, election lawyer Romeo Makalintal and the fighter’s close friend Wakee Salud, arrived to watch the Z Gorres-Fernando Montiel world super-flyweight title match.
Pacquiao is being groomed to go up against South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
