MANNY PACQUIAO need not cry a river. The biggest losers during the May 14 elections from the world of sports were former taekwondo ace Ali Atienza and Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco Jr.
While Pacquiao suffered considerable damage financially in his ill-fated bid to wrest the congressional seat in the first district of South Cotabato, Atienza’s defeat in the race for the mayoralty race for Manila and Cojuangco’s setback for the governorship of Tarlac province would likely be most felt in the local sporting scene.
Pacquiao should not only recover financially after one or two fights but he can also count on the Filipinos to rally behind him when he makes his much-awaited return to the ring in September or October.
And this is not the case with Atienza and Cojuangco, who would encounter rough sailing the moment they stage a comeback in 2010 or embark on a venture aimed at resuscitating their respective images.
Atienza was so upbeat about his chances of succeeding his father as Manila mayor that political observers thought that all the thirty-something Atienza had to do was file his certificate of candidacy and wait for the elections to pass.
Hours into the counting, it was obvious the observers were mistaken and what Atienza had was a false sense of security as Sen. Alfredo Lim, who also held the position of Manila mayor, was slowly pulling away from the pack.
Cojuangco, a many-time congressman from the Central Luzon province and brother of former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino, was nosed out by another Tarlac stalwart, Victor Yap, in a stunning upset.
Other big-named sportsmen who were not fortunate include boxing association head Manny Lopez, who faltered in his bid to become a congressman in the first district of Manila, Dodot Jaworski as Pasig mayor and former rower and fencer, actors Richard Gomez and Tito Sotto, a former World Cup bowler, and pencak silat head Sultan Jamalul Kiram, in the Senate.
Still in the hunt for a slot in the Senate is chess association chief and Surigao Rep. Butch Pichay and 2005 Philsoc chairman Roberto Pagdanganan is not giving up on his quest to regain the post of Bulacan governor.
If there are big losers, there are also a few winners although the magnitude of their victories pale in comparison with what Pacquiao, Atienza and Cojuangco fought for.
Leading the short list of high-profile winners are former Gintong Alay project director Mike Keon, POC Vice President and weightlifting association chief Monico Puentevella and Red Bull basketball coach Yeng Guiao.
Keon was elected Ilocos Norte governor while Puentevella retained his post as Bacolod Rep. and Guiao took the post of vice governor in Pampanga.
Down south, former journalist Manny Pi?ol, a boxing buff, was successful in sliding down to vice governor after serving a few terms as North Cotabato governor.
Also creating ripples were ex-cagers Franz Pumaren, Yoyong Martirez and Tito Varela.
Pumaren was re-elected Quezon City councilor, while Varela was voted Caloocan vice mayor and Martirez Pasig vice mayor.
