WOW, even an international boxing victory by Manny Pacquiao did not escape the attention of the communists and militant groups as evidenced by a press statement issued to local media outlets here.
If we remember it correctly it was from Bayan Muna who condemned the presence of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and the on-air congratulations given to Pacquiao by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
To sum it up, their protests lie over the fact that President Arroyo is taking full publicity advantage of Pacquiao’s victory to drum up her role and that of her husband’s in the propagation of Philippine sports.
While their point is taken it cannot be denied that every government leader before President Arroyo and after takes full advantage of every national victory whether in sports, science or whatever field in order to deodorize their administration’s profile before the international community.
Heck the Chinese communist government are fond of doing it–else why all this hype over their hosting of the next Olympic Games? US presidents have done this time and again and German dictator Adolf Hitler used the Olympic Games to promote his idea of Aryan supremacy.
Arroyo may be considered a Hitler by the communists and militant groups–they all consider presidents in this country as something equal to or worse than Hitler–but we have to grudgingly admit that as President she is entitled to and even obligated to congratulate our countrymen who have done our nation proud.
Even a high school dropout knows that Arroyo’s call to Pacquiao smacks of brownie points so the rebels need not make a fuss about it. Besides if we remember correctly they are pursuing their energies on that rape case involving the US Marines.
Probably they could also focus on the marital dispute by actress Plinky Recto as evidence of the bankrupt socio-political system being foisted by the Arroyo administration on us hapless Filipinos.
Either way they can tap other issues besides the Pacquiao victory, which in essence is shorn of political or ideological color and thus something to celebrate about and not to fight over.
But then that’s democracy for you where anyone and everyone have an opinion on any subject under the sun. One surely couldn’t do that under a communist society for fear of being shackled and beaten to death by storm troopers.
