MANNY PACQUIAO isn’t at all swell-headed.
It’s just that he had his Monday blues when he staggered — his wife and two children in tow — into the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) long after the Philippine Airlines check-in counter had closed, delaying the departure of his flight to Hong Kong by four minutes and frazzling PAL staff.
That the Filipino boxing sensation did not flash the winning smile that has graced his multimillion-peso TV commercials left that nagging feeling among airline staff that his fame had gone to his head.
Not so, said Eric Pineda, business manager to Pacquiao — the biggest ever endorser of San Miguel Corp. products following his spectacular knockout of Mexico’s Erik Morales in January that earned him the nation’s adulation.
Pineda told the Inquirer in a telephone interview that Pacquiao was seeking the “understanding” of the public.
Embarrassed, apologetic
“He was very embarrassed and apologetic when I told him about the news report that came out in the Inquirer. He was not aware that he was the cause of the delay of the flight,” Pineda told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
“He was a little shocked that there was such a complaint against him,” Pineda said, referring to grumbling by PAL employees who had to handle Monday’s incident.
Pineda said he called up Pacquiao yesterday to tell him about the Inquirer report.
Pineda said Pacquiao felt bad that he took the blame for the actions of a member of his entourage, identified as Bernard Cloma, who fixed things for the boxing icon.
“Maybe there was just someone in Manny’s entourage who was too eager to please him. But Manny himself would never impose on an airline,” Pineda said, without naming Cloma.
Pineda said that it would have been all right with Pacquiao if he and his family had been bumped off to the next flight to Hong Kong.
Poetic justice?
According to a well-placed Inquirer source, Cloma insisted that Pacquiao and his family be allowed to take PR 300 to Hong Kong even after a PAL customer service agent informed him that the check-in counters would be closed at 7:45 a.m.
As a result, the fully booked flight took off four minutes behind schedule.
There was also an element of poetic justice in Monday’s incident.
The Inquirer learned that Pacquiao’s and his family’s bags were left behind in their rush to board the aircraft. The luggage had been on “check hold,” meaning these would not be loaded until the passengers were on board.
The bags were put on the subsequent 10 a.m. flight to Hong Kong instead, the source said.
Pineda said Pacquiao was nursing a high fever, which was why he was sluggish and appeared aloof when he arrived at the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2.
Moreover, heavy traffic on the way to the airport also put the boxer in a bad mood.
“He just really wanted to push through with the trip because he promised his two young sons that he would take them to Hong Kong Disneyland,” Pineda said.
Knowing Pacquiao, he added, the boxer would have by now confronted Cloma about the complaints of the PAL staff.
Cloma made the arrangements but he was not part of the 20-strong “Team Pacquiao” on the Disneyland sortie, Pineda stressed.
“Manny is still the same person. Fame has not gotten to his head,” Pineda said.
Paternity suit
Pineda did not say if Pacquiao was preoccupied with a date at the Quezon City prosecutor’s office on Monday. He was a no-show, but sent his lawyer instead to deal with a paternity suit filed by a former lover, Joanne Rose Bacosa, 24.
Lawyers say Bacosa is seeking-among other things — a P25-million trust fund for the 2-year-old boy who she claims is the champion’s son from a two-year romantic fling.
Pineda said Pacquiao also plans to speak privately with PAL owner and business tycoon, Lucio Tan, about the incident. Cloma had reportedly dropped Tan’s name in getting Pacquiao on board the plane posthaste.
Friendship with Lucio Tan
“They are good friends and they have a mutual respect for each other. Manny will never take advantage of his friendship with Dr. Tan,” Pineda said.
On Monday, the source said PAL and immigration staff were so annoyed with Pacquiao when he arrived at the NAIA without any seeming urgency considering that he and his family were already late for the flight.
The boxing champion also did not appear the least bit apologetic about it, the source said.
The PAL staff was also irritated at Cloma because he kept on insisting that Pacquiao and his family should take the flight despite their tardiness.
