WHY it took Comelec some time before deciding in favor of Manny Pacquiao is another proof of government?s penchant to act so slow on matters bordering on trivialities.
Comelec should have easily told that complaining jerk that Pacquiao was not violating any election law when PacMan fights Timothy Bradley on April 10 (PHL time) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As a boxer, Pacquiao will just be doing his job. Who said he would be campaigning atop the ring?
For sure, he?d climb up the roped arena once more in fulfillment of a fighter?s avowed mission to win fights?secondary to the fact that he?d earn $20 million. Again.
He will be seen on TV fighting, yes, but aren?t most of his fights aired previously?
Just because he is a candidate for senator means his fight on Sunday being shown on TV will break an election law?
Far from that.
As I said, quoting the law, a candidate is allowed 120/180 minutes of radio-TV exposure from the official start of campaigning up to the May 9 polls.
Pacquiao, if he goes the distance with Bradley, will only be on TV for a maximum 36 minutes as a 12-round fight is distributed at 3 minutes per round.
The law also says that for a radio/TV exposure to qualify as a political ad, the candidate must sign a contract attesting to it.
Fight promoters do the negotiations for airing-televising a fight; the boxer merely presents himself to the arena of battle on fight night.
It is even very highly improbable for a 12-round bout to last 120/180 minutes.
Now if Pacquiao suddenly regains his old self and resurrect that punching power that produced career-ending knockouts against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, who knows he might just stop Bradley, say, before the seventh round.
If you ask me, he should really seriously gun for a knockout. A stoppage will mean more votes for Pacquiao. A points victory can only mean less votes.
But a loss for Pacquiao?
It might not only spell disaster for Pacquiao come election day, but it could also mean outright retirement.
Like it or not, the rocking chair era seems near for Pacquiao, who, at 37, is definitely so darn close to singing hello goodbye. Even Duterte agrees.
Only his running lackeys hum a different tune. But, of course.
