When he is inside a boxing ring, the last adjective anyone would ever use to describe Manny Pacquiao is “clueless.” Under the tutelage of Coach Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has steadily improved and become the most ferocious and one of the slickest fighters of his generation.
But, when it comes to political games people play in his homeland, some observers think that the Pinoy Idol is heading towards another fight he cannot possibly win, a second electoral thrashing as the “National Fist” seeks a congressional seat from wife Jinkee’s home province of Sarangani.
I stumbled upon this fascinating story on Philboxing.com, a substantive piece authored by the highly educated Granville Ampong. In the column, Ampong quotes a prominent professor and Monsignor from Cebu named Roger Fuentes and Congresswoman Jocelyn Limkaichong and they both opine that Manny should throw in the towel rather than lose his second election in as many tries.
It’s no secret that, when Dazzling Darlene Antonio-Custodio, whipped him by nearly 40,000 votes in his hometown of General Santos City, that Pacquiao put plenty of “bank: into his political operation with sad results.
The professor-priest and the female politician said that Roy Chiongbian, another scion of a political dynasty as is Dazzling Darlene, may beat Pacman in a one-sided manner that even Floyd Mayweather could.
Manny Pacquiao at polling place in Philippines (Pacland)
It sounds as though, while he is a big betting favorite March 13 against Joshua Clottey in Dallas, that Megamanny is a real underdog against Chiongbian and his extended clan’s shipping company fortunes.
Roy Chiongbian (right) promises to pulverize Pacman in electoral battle May 10 in Sarangani (Mindanao Now.Com)
Here’s part of Ampong’s highly readable piece:
HOLLYWOOD, California, January 25, 2010 – Call it a mockery at Congress. But, it’s almost close to it! In an exclusive interview today by this writer, Monsignor Roger Fuentes, the rector and professor of the Seminary College at the Univesity of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines, expressed his concerns about Pound-for-Pound King Manny Pacquiao’s foray into politics. His overtones speak volume of sincerity from a man who believes Pacquiao will only “promote division” in the lone district of Sarangani in which he is vying for the congressional seat this coming May 10 elections.
“Pacquiao’s stance should be for unity since that’s what he has always been campaigning for each time he fights in the boxing arena,” said the religious reformator who sat down with this writer in a private party at Ronnie and Grace Pomar’s residence in Culver City.
The said cleric visits California to grace the annual fiesta celebration of Senior Santo Ni?o at the St. Agustine Church in Culver City, which took place last Saturday.
“No doubt, he is naturally intelligent. But, the intricacy of a congressional seat requires academic intelligence, which Pacquiao does not have nor does he have that par with Roy Chongbian, who is also running for the same seat from the Chiongbian dynasty that reigns in the province of Sarangani for over two decades now,” the cleric added.
Monsignor Fuentes said, “They said if Pacquiao’s budget for his congressional bid is P 1 billion, the Chongbians said they are ready to match it by P 2-billion.”
“So Pacquiao’s best option is to withdraw his candidacy, ” he added.
“Some of Pacquiao’s sycophants and some of local “pretenders” or some “defectors” from the camp of Chiongbian must be ready to get rich instantly as I am sure they have already laid out plans to pocket Pacquiao’s millions,” said Ricky Gavini, one of the active participants during the interview.
“Pacquiao is clueless,” he added.
Meanwhile, in another exclusive interview via Facebook’s private chatline, Congresswoman Jocelyn Limkaichong, who toppled the more 20-year old political dynasty of the Paras bloodlines in the first district of Oriental Negros, remains numbed when asked by this writer to suggest as to what strategy must Filipino Boxing Superstar Manny Pacquio adopt in order to snatch the congressional seat in the lone district of Sarangani from the Chiongbian dynasty.
But, she otherwise suggested as well that Pacquiao should just withdraw his candidacy.
“If truly Manny Pacquiao has sincere and concerned friends, then they should advise him not to run for the congressional seat,” said the daughter of business tycoon, Don Julio Sy.
Bio of author Granville Ampong:
His speech, “COME FLY WITH ME” tackling a theme on motivation, won first place in the International Speech Contest in 2000 held at the Ron Hubbard Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, under the sponsorship of Toastmasters International and the Ron Hubbard Foundation. His greatest passion is sportswriting. He writes regularly for different newspapers here and abroad. He has been freelancing and ghostwriting for medical doctors, lawyers in the U.S. and writing speeches for politicians based in the Philippines since 1994.
While studying at Silliman University in Dumaguete, Philippines for his undergraduate studies, Ampong served as President of Silliman Junior Business Executives under the guidance of Professor Norma Caluscusan from 1988 through 1990. Unknown to the public, he first made his mark in the political scene by involving in the investigative reporting on social and political issues from 1986 through 1990, as an active member of the League of Young Democrats. After a brief hiatus from SU, he left Philippines at 20 and eventually took his post-graduate studies in the U.S.
