THE government is hoping for a zero-crime rate as Filipinos are expected to be glued to their television sets for the third face-off between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Mexican challenger Juan Manuel Marquez on Sunday.
But just the same, Deputy presidential Abigail Valte said soldiers and policemen will still be on alert despite the generally peaceful atmosphere normally observed every time the Sarangani lawmaker steps into the boxing ring.
In an interview over state-run Radyo ng Bayan, she asked the public to pin their hopes on the ring icon as he put his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title on the line against Marquez.
?We express our full support. We are one with the Filipino nation in rallying behind Congressman Pacquiao,? she said.
Both boxers made the 144-pound catch weight for the fight on Friday afternoon (Saturday morning in Manila) in MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where fans are expected to fill even the premises of the posh hotel on fight day.
Reports said some 30 congressmen may witness the fight. But the Palace refused to comment on this development
?We understand congressmen who want to show their support personally for a colleague in Congress, we can?t comment further. That is something that is internal to the House (of Representatives),” Valte said.
In the Philippines, Filipino fans who want a non-stop treat will converge in free live viewing points sponsored by local government units while others choose to watch it on bars, homes, and malls.
Pacquiao, who won world titles in record eight weight classes, first met Marquez in 2004 but it ended in a controversial draw.
Four years later, the 32-year-old southpaw managed to win the rematch by one point on one judge?s scorecard but Marquez repeatedly claimed he won both prior fights.
Both camps said Sunday?s showdown will ultimately settle the question of who the better boxer is even as the odds are reportedly against the 38-year-old Marquez, who had to gain extra pounds so he can bring more power into the ring.
?This is one of the most important fights I have had. This fight is really important to me because he (Marquez) says he won the first two fights. The question is what I need to do to prove to people I won those fights,? Pacquiao said in the pre-match press conference last Thursday.
Pacquiao is guaranteed to earn some $30 million (roughly P1.3 billion) from the fight, which include shares from pay-per-view subscriptions, gate attendance, and other revenue sources. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)
