MANILA, Philippines ? A hero?s welcome is just about all boxing champ Manny Pacquiao can expect from the Manila City government following his defeat Sunday of Mexico?s Marco Antonio Barrera.
Mayor Alfredo Lim said yesterday that while the city government wants to host a victory parade for Pacquiao, it will not condone the P120,000 in concessionaire?s fees he owes the city treasurer.
The boxer used to own a bar?the Knockout Bar?on Baywalk, which Lim had since cleared of all establishments serving liquor. The bar failed to pay four months? worth of concessionaire?s fees from April to June 2007 which the city government is now trying to collect from Pacquiao.
?If we condone his debt, the owners of other establishments may tell us that they are also not going to pay their debts. That?s about P7 million worth of collectibles. The amount we are trying to collect from Manny is small,? said Lim.
The mayor, however, added that he was giving Pacquiao the benefit of the doubt since it was possible that the boxing champ did not know that he owed the city government money.
?It could be the fault of the operator. He could have forgotten to pay us,? Lim said.
But the mayor said he would not raise the issue during Pacquiao?s victory parade when he arrives in Manila this Friday from the United States.
?Not yet, because that is the time for him to savor his victory. Why should we bring it up? It should be the operator of his establishment who should inform him about this,? Lim said.
Pacquiao pocketed from $2 million to $3 million from his ?Will to Win? fight against Barrera, but the World Boxing Confederation International super flyweight champ is expected to receive more from ?pay-per-view? commissions.
The mayor earlier met with his department heads to plan Friday?s victory parade for Pacquiao. But there was still no word from the boxer?s camp about whether or not he would join the motorcade, just like he used to do after his previous matches during the term of former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.
Lim, however, said that Pacquiao?s closeness to Atienza was not an issue.
?Whatever was accorded him before, we will also give him this time. Everybody applauded what Manny did. We are all proud of him,? he said.
?The only difference is that I will not accompany him in the motorcade. He was the one who worked hard to win, he was the one who entered the ring and he was the one who won over Barrera. Why should I share in the people?s adulation of him?? Lim added.
