Manny Pacquiao may not have directly withdrew plan to run in the May election but his statement to concentrate more on his upcoming fight proved enough to inspire his family members and boxing fans.
Pacquiao’s mother, Dionisia, expressed her elation over the reported withdrawal of her son from the May 14 elections.
“I am very happy and even his grandmother is happy,” Pacquiao’s mom said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s Magandang Umaga Pilipinas (MUP) Tuesday.
Boxing fans believed the incident that took place last Saturday when over 15,000 spectators booed Pacquiao upon his arrival inside the Cebu City Coliseum to watch the ‘Moment of Truth’ boxing spectacle played a key role in his decision to focus his attention on his boxing career.
“The boos wake up Pacman,” a fan said in the forum.philboxing.com.
“Where ever you go Manny, anywhere in this country, boos will greet you if you don’t leave politics, just concentrate on boxing,” another fan advised.
For another boxing fanatic, Pacquiao has “again united the people. Fans were divided, now Pacman has united us again.”
Pacquiao was with Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, lawyer Romy Macalintal and close friend Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud when he watched the fights of Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista, Z ‘The Dream’ Gorres, Jimrex Jaca and AJ Banal.
Based on the ongoing survey posted on the mannypacquiao.ph, a consistent 91 percent (now from 13,826 respondents) does not favor of Pacquiao entering politics.
Pacquiao had earlier admitted he was affected by the poll result.
In a television interview Monday night, Pacquiao said he will set aside for now his plans to seek the congressional post in the first district of South Cotabato.
“What I can say for now is that I am not closing my doors to politics. I will just set it aside for the meantime because of my incoming fight, which will happen before the elections,” Pacquiao said over GMA 7’s 24 Oras.
Pacquiao, the Fighter of the Year by Ring Magazine, is set to leave for Los Angeles on March 5 to prepare for his April 14 fight against undefeated Mexican fighter Jorge Solis (32-0, 23KOs).
Mayor Atienza revealed in an interview with ABS-CBN that he was able to convince Pacquiao to shelve his political plans to be able to focus on boxing.
“He will set aside politics [for] now and concentrate on his boxing career and his coming fight with Solis of Mexico,” he said.
For his part, Pacquiao’s former manager Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud confirmed in a philboxing.com report that the Filipino boxing icon has thrown the towel in his quest to challenge South Cotabato First District Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
In the same report, lawyer Romy Macalintal confirmed that Pacquiao will no longer run in the upcoming national and local elections.
“He wants to ensure his fans that he is listening to them. Pacquiao treats his fans as very important to him and would listen to their sentiments,” he said.
Macalintal said it was he and Atienza who urged Pacquiao not to push through with his political plans.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal reportedly said “Manny never mentioned he is no longer interested in running in the May election.”
“In his words, I did not sense that he would back out from his plans to run for Congress,” Gacal added.
