How powerful is Manny Pacquiao? Floyd Mayweather Jr. will find out Saturday, but the Filipino boxer already scored one massive victory this week when he saved a life, halting the execution of a 30-year-old Filipina in Indonesia, according to Reuters and other news services.
lRelated In boxing or political arena, Manny Pacquiao wields a lot of clout SPORTS In boxing or political arena, Manny Pacquiao wields a lot of clout SEE ALL RELATED 8
Mary Jane Veloso, a single mother of two boys, was found with 5.7 pounds of heroin at Indonesia’s Yogyakarta airport five years ago. She claimed the drugs were sewn into the lining of her suitcase without her knowledge, but she was convicted and sentenced to death anyway.
Mexican boxing fans eager for fight but wish it had one of their own Mexican boxing fans eager for fight but wish it had one of their own Pacquiao, who is also a member of the Philippines’ House of Representatives, made a plea for mercy after a tear-filled request from Veloso?s mother, joining United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, popular Indonesian singer Anggun and Philippine President Benigno Aquino, among others, in asking for clemency.
?Manny, please help save my daughter. Please speak up,? the mother, identified only as Celia, said in her appeal on a Manila radio station. ?Any word from your will help greatly because you are very popular in Indonesia.?
cComments he’s phawafool bcoz he prays to that thing called “gad” lol LATPOST AT 7:24 PM APRIL 29, 2015 ADD A COMMENTSEE ALL COMMENTS 8
Hours later Pacquiao responded with a videotaped plea to Indonesian President Joko Widodo from his Hollywood training camp.
?I am begging and knocking at your kind heart that your excellency grant executive clemency to her by sparing her life and saving her from execution,? a somber-looking Pacquiao said in the plea, taped by GMA News of the Philippines. ?On May 2, I will be fighting in Las Vegas, Nev., against Floyd Mayweather, which is considered the fight of the century. It will be a great morale booster if, in my own little way, I can save a life.?
Manny Pacquiao CAPTION Manny Pacquiao Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times Rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao was already called the best boxer in the 2000s. At the age of 35 with a record of 56 wins, five losses and two ties, Pacquiao shows no sign of slowing down. CAPTION First punch on American soil Laura Rauch / Associated Press Pacquiao’s professional boxing career started in 1995 and he boxed primarily in the Philippines until 2001. In his 2001 debut in the United States against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba of South Africa, Pacquiao won by TKO in six rounds. CAPTION Losing his featherweight title Eric Jamison / Associated Press Before facing Mexico’s Erik Morales in March 19, 2005, in Las Vegas, Pacquiao had not lost since September 1999. Morales won by unanimous decision to take the WBC international super featherweight title. CAPTION Another shot at Morales Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images Ten months later, Pacquiao faced Erik Morales again. Pacquiao knocked Morales out in the 10th round. It was the first time Morales was knocked out in his boxing career. CAPTION Winning the lightweight title belt Eric Jamison / Associated Press Pacquiao trades punches with David Diaz during their WBC lightweight championship boxing match June 28, 2008, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won by knockout in the ninth round. Early Wednesday the boxer got his wish when the Indonesian attorney general’s spokesman said that Veloso’s execution had been delayed at the last minute after one of the people who allegedly tricked Veloso into carrying the drugs, Maria Kristina Sergio, surrendered to police.
“The execution of Mary Jane [Veloso] has been postponed because there was a request from the Philippine president related to a perpetrator suspected of human trafficking who surrendered herself in the Philippines,” said Tony Spontana, spokesman for the attorney general.
Pacquiao said Wednesday that he would like to travel to Indonesia — perhaps as early as Monday, two days after the fight — to meet with Veloso and Indonesian officials. He also offered prayer messages for the condemned woman and her family.
