On the eve of a much-anticipated boxing match between Filipino featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Erik Morales, Malaca?ang offered this message to the “PacMan,” through Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye.
“We are sending our best wishes to our champion and we hope that he wins and that the fight would end swiftly,” Bunye said.
Why a swift fight, reporters asked Bunye? Because boxing observers say a short fight would favor the Filipino fighter known to millions of boxing fans as “PacMan.”
“We would like a decisive victory for our countryman,” Bunye said, adding that Pacquiao brings much honor to the country, at a time when President Arroyo is asking government employees and executives to “sacrifice” for the greater good of the Philippines.
Yet some question the timing of a Las Vegas junket by a number of Congress members on the heels of urgent pleas by Mrs. Arroyo to pass the value added tax (VAT) bill that would raise badly needed revenues of P80 billion.
The President had urged lawmakers to reconcile their differing versions of the bill and hold a special session before leaving on Lenten break. Congress would normally resume session on April 11.
But reports that a group of House and Senate members are already in Las Vegas, or are heading there soon, are flying.
The exodus, reportedly being led by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo ? a known civic sports patron ? could include enough members of Congress to cause a lack of quorum, thus making it pointless to call a special session of Congress to hash out details of the VAT bill.
Some 30 congressmen were reportedly heading to Las Vegas for the fight. Four congressmen ? Luis Bersamin of Abra, Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Luis Asistio of Caloocan City, and Rodolfo Plaza of Agusan del Sur ? left on Wednesday, reports said. Bersamin and Singson are members of the majority bloc, while Asistio and Plaza are with the minority.
Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental, the First Gentleman?s brother, was scheduled to leave for Las Vegas yesterday. It is unknown whether he would be traveling with the party of Mrs. Arroyo?s husband.
For his part, Pampanga representative and presidential son Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo said he had no intention of joining the junket. “I am here in my district and am not going to watch Pacquiao?s fight in Las Vegas,” he said in a statement. He added he is awaiting word from his mother, the President, on whether or not there will be a special session of Congress.
Meanwhile, another lawmaker, Davao Oriental?s Mayo Almario, defended the decision by many of his colleagues to travel to the land of slot machines and casinos.
“There is nothing wrong with congressmen going to Las Vegas to support Pacquiao, our modern hero, since the House has done its part in pushing for urgent bills.”
The House of Representatives finished reading its version of the VAT bill, and awaits deliberations on the Senate version.
Almario is listed in official House records as among 51 congressmen and congresswomen who have already left for abroad or are planning to leave soon. House records did not verify which members of Congress were heading for Las Vegas.
One lawmaker ? Plaza ? admitted that he is already in “Sin City,” and claimed the House even paid for his plane ticket and issued him a $1,500 stipend.
On the other hand, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert “Ace” Barbers, who chairs the accounts committee, said he had not authorized a single peso to be spent on travel to Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Malaca?ang will investigate reports that at least two governors sneaked out of the country to watch the Pacquiao-Morales fight without seeking permission from the President.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita noted that members of the legislative branch are free to take foreign trips ? paid for out of their own pocket ? but not local government executives. “We will check it,” Ermita said. “I don?t recall signing any permission, or anybody asking permission for an official mission to America.”
Bunye agreed with Ermita on the status of governors heading for Las Vegas: “We have rules (about foreign travel) but these rules cover the executive branch.”
Under the Local Government Code, local officials under the executive, such as mayors and governors, must file formal permission requests from the Office of the President before taking foreign trips. ? With Jess Diaz
