JOLO, Sulu, Philippines — The Philippine Army took reservist Master Sergeant Manny Pacquiao on a tour of the city as well as military camps here and in Basilan to perk up its frontline troops in these battle-weary provinces.
However, in Isabela City, Basilan, where Pacquiao also visited, some were hoping to see sexy actress Ara Mina, Pacquiao?s leading lady in his first movie. Earlier, word spread that the actress was visiting the soldiers with the boxing champion.
Private First Class (PFC) Khadaffy Kabal said some of his comrades were somehow disappointed they did not get to see Ara Mina.
But First Lieutenant Roldan Mira of the Third Special Forces Battalion based in Maluso town in Basilan shrugged off the actress’ absence.
“We’d rather see Manny. He’s everybody’s idol,” Mira said.
An impromptu motorcade of Pacquiao in Jolo City had people coming out of their stores and homes to flood the streets to get a glimpse of the ?People’s Champ.?
Army chief Lieutenant General Alexander Yano said that in a way, having Pacquiao with the Army and letting the people see his camaraderie with soldiers have been making people “warm up” to the military.
In Isabela City, Basilan, students from the Basilan National High School screamed at the sight of Pacquiao as he waved to them before boarding a Huey UH-1H helicopter that would take him to Zamboanga City.
PFC Kabal told reporters that the predominantly Muslim community in Jolo was a bit wary of soldiers whom they saw as the “new Christians.”
But Pacquiao was undeniably a unifying factor, even just for a few hours, between the military and the skeptical people.
Young and old, men and women cheered Pacquiao who shared the lead vehicle with Yano and other Army officials, who all waved back at the people.
At the Army camps, Pacquiao rallied the troops, who tried to hide their excitement under their gruff and stern exterior.
A handful of American soldiers in the three Army camps that Pacquiao visited also had their pictures taken with the boxing champion.
“Fighting in the field is like boxing. You have to have discipline. You have to be able to anticipate the enemy’s moves. You knockout the terrorists!” Pacquiao said in Filipino.
Pacquiao’s visit, some of the soldiers said, was definitely a morale booster even if the star of the show was unsmiling most of the time.
Pacquiao had just flown in from the United States on Wednesday and had to endure the grueling trip to the Army camps that had him fly for a few seconds a Fokker aircraft and ride a military chopper.
Nonetheless, Pacquiao told reporters that he was “excited” to visit the soldiers in the frontline, keeping the promise he made after his victorious bout against Mexican boxer, Marco Antonio Barrera, in Las Vegas, Nevada last October.
“We’re happy to see him,” said PFC Benjie Bersamin, 23, as he waited in line to have his picture taken with Pacquiao, whose mustache was forgiven by Yano because the boxing champ still had to shoot scenes for his upcoming movie where he needed to be unshaven.
First Lieutenant Mira said most of his fellow Army Special Forces comrades who welcomed Pacquiao at the 105th Brigade headquarters in the village of Tabuk in Basilan’s Isabela City even came from the field.
Mira said that twice already, Pacquiao had a scheduled fight when his battalion had a field operation.
“We really found a way to watch those boxing matches even when we were in the field. We looked for a place with a television set,” Mira chuckled.
“Everybody is a boxing fanatic here,” he said.
And by everybody, Mira meant all, including the military’s enemies such as the Abu Sayyaf extremists.
Mira said he noticed that there were not too many encounters during Pacquiao?s boxing matches.
“There are really no encounters. I am sure they (enemies) also watch him. Everybody loves Manny,” Mira said.
