OKAY so Manny Pacquiao was unable to knock down Marco Antonio Barrera, whom local and international media described as “an aging boxer” due to his poor showing at last Sunday’s bout in Mandalay Resort, Las Vegas.
But then at 33 years old, some boxers aren’t so weak like Barrera. One must remember that the only undefeated boxer Rocky Marciano knocked out Archie “The Mongoose” Moore when he was 45 years old.
Granted “The Mongoose” wasn’t in fine form at the time, but it goes to show that 33 years old isn’t exactly over the hill.
Which doesn’t take away from the glow of Pacquiao’s victory as he faces Juan Manuel Marquez in order to settle once and for all that questionable draw that marred an otherwise great record for the Filipino People’s Champ. Until then, Manny should savor the victory he richly deserved.
House drama
The timing of the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was so ridiculous it’s not even funny; well, one can find humor in the fact that the impeachment complaint filed by this one lawyer was so lousy that it got endorsed by a Palace ally identified specifically with the camp of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
But the real story is not on the impeachment complaint itself but on reports that Mike Arroyo is negotiating with allies on the best way to knock down House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. from his post in the wake of the latter’s son exposing the alleged role of the First Gentleman in the negotiations for the controversial ZTE broadband deal, topped with his reported declaration to de Venecia III to “back off” complete with finger gesture.
And they may use the impeachment complaint to cover their tracks while they go about unseating the elder de Venecia from his post. Considering that Congress is now in full swing for the budget deliberations and the public is getting tired of all these scandals, a Christmas truce may be called at least for now, while the noisy militants and their shadowy underground allies would continue to foment noise and all sorts of rabble-rousing in an effort to stir up public opinion.
At any rate, no one is prohibiting the Senate from proceeding with their investigation so long as they do it on their own time and without sacrificing needed legislation to keep the business of governance going. And the noises of a rabble-rousing minority should not be made to stand as public opinion, may their kind be damned.
Still, we live in a democracy unlike any in Asia and so Filipinos try to preserve it as they can hoping that through their actions and opinions they can mold it into a functioning, strong democracy that won’t fall due to the communist cretins and the power-hungry few who continually plot to dismantle and destroy it and cast the country in their own abhorrent image.
