MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Feliciano Sonny Belmonte Jr. is against the idea of having Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao train for his coming boxing bout at the Batasan Pambansa grounds in Quezon City.
Belmonte told reporters that while he supports Pacquiao, he doesn?t want the fight to be politicized and for the Batasan grounds to be a spectacle.
?I?ll discourage him from training inside the Batasan. Baka mamaya, ang mga neophytes manuod na lang din sa kaniya. It?s not a good idea for him to train here. It?s a good thing, but it might not be to his advantage. People will come to watch him,? he said.
Pacquiao had said that he will train inside the Batasan in between sessions so he can still perform his functions as a lawmaker.
?Jogging, anybody can jog, pwede natin gawin iyan. Subject to security requirements pero it’s unfair to him, it?s a big fight, not just his name. Di pwedeng parang pinagsasama niya trabaho niya,? Belmonte said.
He added: ?I don?t like the grounds of the House of Representatives to be the focus of some professional fight. If he does it once or twice…but to say papagawa ng gym or kami papagawa ng gym…?
Belmonte further said it?s okay if Pacquiao will be absent from Congress for the fight because it?s his patriotic duty anyway.
?I know he intends to be a real hardworking congressman. He wants to make a difference in Sarangani and the country.?
Belmonte praised Pacquiao?s work so far.
?So far, his performance is very good. He?s well informed and he?s doing his best. I praised his first speech, which I thought was a well-crafted speech.”
Belmonte said he?s even amenable to allowing congressmen to attend Pacquiao?s fight as a show of support.
Belmonte said he himself will watch the fight even though he?s not a boxing fan.
However, Belmonte said it will depend on whether the legislative calendar will give them time. The current calendar sets Congress to go on recess just days before the fight.
?It?s actually a question of calendar. At the moment, the calendar ends November. Before his fight, we’re trying to see…I like to be supportive without sacrificing work,? he said.
Pacquiao had said he intends to jog inside the Batasan complex as part of his training.
