Session was temporarily halted at the House of Representatives in Quezon City Wednesday after Manny Pacquiao arrived to receive a congressional award as a boxing champion.
Interestingly, South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Pacquiao’s rival in the 2007 congressional elections, authored the resolution to award the boxing hero, who won the World Boxing Council lightweight belt from Mexican American David Diaz in June.
Following the awarding rites, Pacquiao posed for pictures with Speaker Prospero Nograles and all the deputy speakers at the rostrum.
He then went around the plenary hall to greet the congressmen.
Pacquiao arrived Wednesday morning from a trip to the United States where he negotiated for a proposed fight in December with six-divison world champion Oscar de la Hoya.
The Filipino ring icon will leave for Beijing, China on Thursday with President Arroyo and the rest of the Philippine delegation to the Olympics. Pacquiao is the Philippines’ flag-bearer for the opening ceremonies of the Games on Friday.
