MANILA, Philippines – Seven-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao on Monday will pay tribute to casualties of war confined at a military hospital, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Delfin Bangit said.
?Normally, he (Pacquiao) is the one who is given honors, but this time, he will be the one to give it to battle casualties, which is the reverse. He will pay respects to the battle casualties,? Bangit said on Thursday.
Pacquiao, a Philippine Army reservist with a rank of senior master sergeant, will also be given a plaque in recognition of his recent win over Ghana?s Joshua Clottey in Texas, USA.
?The tentative visit of Manny Pacquiao at the V. Luna [Hospital] is on March 29,? said Bangit. He was referring to the AFP Medical Center, formerly known as V. Luna Hospital.
Bangit said the soldiers who saw the Pacquiao-Clottey fight rooted for their comrade. He said Pacquiao?s visit will surely boost their morale.
?Those (soldiers) confined drew a lot of inspiration from his being the champion, so I?m sure that his personal visit will give the soldiers more inspiration, especially our battle casualties,? he said.
Pacquiao successfully defended the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown he won from Miguel Cotto late last year. It was his 7th world title in 7 weight classes.
