MANILA, Philippines — After a two-month absence marked by triumph and controversy, Sarangani Representative and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will return to the House of Representative to attend Tuesday?s session.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Yacap party-list Representative Carol Jane Lopez, a close friend of Pacquiao, confirmed his attendance in the afternoon session.
Pacquiao, who is serving his second term as congressman, has missed a number of sessions since last year to train for his successful match against American Brandon Rios in Macau last month, rebounding from two previous losses.
However, the day after his November 24 victory, which many celebrated as a counter to the devastation wrought by super typhoon Yolanda earlier that month, government announced it had frozen his bank accounts over a P2.2-billion tax case.
Despite grappling with this latest controversy, Pacquiao visited the Yolanda-stricken islands of Leyte and Samar, distributing goods and cash to storm survivors.
On Monday, reports circulated that Pacquiao held a US Green Card, which, if true, would have called to question his eligibility to be a legislator.
But Pacquiao, through Lopez as well as his adviser and lawyer, denied the report.
