MANNY Pacquiao came – a day ahead.
Yesterday, the face-to-face courtroom meeting between Pacquiao and his former lover and alleged son did not push through as the boxing idol was a no-show at the office of the Quezon City assistant prosecutor.
Pacquiao appeared before Assistant City Prosecutor Ma. Gracia Casaclang on Monday to attest to the authenticity of his counter-affidavit, even though the schedule for its submission was yesterday, according to his lawyer Jose Crisostomo. Only Crisostomo attended yesterday’s hearing to submit the document. Joanna Rose Bacosa had charged the boxer with violating the law protecting women and children from violence.
“He is unavailable today because he has a prior commitment,” said Crisostomo, adding that Pacquiao’s engagement was a “contractual commitment.” Sources told the Inquirer that Pacquiao was scheduled to start shooting a commercial for Magnolia, part of his multimillion endorsement deal with San Miguel Corporation.
Asked if Pacquiao was purposely avoiding Bacosa, Crisostomo said: “We’re not avoiding her, but it’s not necessary for Pacquiao to appear (at this point).”In his affidavit,Pacquiao declined to comment on his alleged romantic relationship with Bacosa. He neither confirmed nor denied that he was the father of her child.
But he rejected Bacosa’s charges that he had refused to support the child. “In the first place, I don’t know who is the real father of her son. It was Bacosa herself who told me she had another boyfriend. In the second place, if I were the father of the child, according to Bacosa’s own affidavit, I have already provided the boy with enough financialsupport from the time of Bacosa’s pregnancy to the boy’s growing up, an amount that is even more than his needs,” Pacquiao added in his affidavit. He also denied he had threatened Bacosa that he would kidnap the boy if she took the matter to the courts or the media.
Bacosa, who came with her son to the QC assistant prosecutor’s office, tearfully challenged Pacquiao to “be a man,” and face her.
