Even in cyberspace, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s fans are one in saying that they would not want the “People’s Champion” venturing into politics, abs-cbnNEWS.com learned Tuesday.
Most of the 4,476 fans who logged on to Pacquiao’s Web site, www.pacland.ph, said the boxer should not pursue his candidacy for the congressional seat of South Cotabato’s first district.
Majority (90.6%) answered “NO” to the question, “Are yopu in favor of Pacquiao entering politics?”
Second place went to those who said they did not care about Pacquiao being a politician (6.1%) while at the same time pursuing a boxing career.
The least number of fans (3.3%), however, still said that Pacquiao should file his candidacy.
The online voting came in the wake of the boxer’s announcement that he has decided to run for Congress and challenge re-electionist Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio. Pacquiao said he will run under the banner of the Liberal Party, a member of the administration coalition. Custodio, meanwhile, is from the opposition.
The results of the Internet voting were similar to the opinion of some Metro Manila resident who took time to share their thoughts on Pacquiao’s planned semi-shift to politics.
Majority of the 30 people who took time to answer the informal poll said Pacquiao would be better off fighting inside the ring than in the halls of Congress.
Students, meanwhile, said Pacquiao’s educational attainment could still be questioned if he runs for Congress. Pacquiao, did not finish high school but recently took the qualifying examination for a secondary degree along with brother and fellow boxer Bobby.
At the L&M boxing gym in Sampaloc, Manila where Pacquiao started his boxing career, some trainees said they want their idol pursue a political career. Some, including those who first trained him, said Pacquiao should stay in boxing.
On Monday Pacquiao doused rumors that he would be running as mayoralty candidate of General Santos City. Before his announcement Monday, he was also being groomed as a candidate in Manila.
Custodio, meanwhile, said she will be ready for Pacquiao despite the certainty that he will have a strong showing.
“Hindi ako natatakot. Kahit papaano, mas naghahanda kami because Manny is indeed very popular and very loved, pero siguro iba ang pulitika at iba ang boxing (I’m not afraid of him. At any rate, we’lll prepare harder thought they should see that politics is different from boxing),” she said. With a report from TV Patrol World
