Manila: Politicians had a field day yesterday as they basked in the limelight cast on boxer Manny “Pacman” Paquiao who returned to a hero’s welcome in Manila.
Paquiao moved around the capital in a motorcade greeted by swarms of people with showers of confetti and jubilation as he appeared in Manila for the first time since winning on Sunday in Texas against Mexican boxer Jorge Solis.
“My victory is for you,” shouted the 27-year-old boxer from his perch as he waved and blew kisses to his fans.
But Manila’s warm welcome to their returning boxing hero was marred by hapless politicking by poll candidates who apparently used the opportunity to get exposure and association with Paquiao.
Campaign
Ali Atienza, who is angling to be mayor of Manila in place of his father incumbent capital chief executive Lito Atienza, also took the motorcade as a chance to pull in potential votes as he gave away shirts and campaign materials emblazoned with his name.
But while alleged political hangers on were trying to squeeze as much political mileage as they could from their association with Paquiao, the boxer denied that he allowed himself to be used by politicians.
“I am confident that I have taken the right step in my bid for congress and I am my own person,” Paquiao said in an interview at the presidential palace .
Critics had also said that Paquiao is using his popularity as a boxer to leverage his bid to seek the post of congressional representative of the first district of North Cotabato.
Paquiao is known to be close to President Gloria Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel.
During the palace visit by Paquiao in the afternoon, Arroyo said that she and her family were “touched” by the concern shown by boxer over the well-being and the husband, who is recuperating at the hospital after undergoing a 10-hour heart surgery on April 9.
