MANILA — The woman standing in the way of Manny Pacquiao’s political ambition has thrown the first punch, one that could rock even innocent fans eagerly awaiting the April 15 fight of boxing’s pound-for-pound great.
Opposition Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio is seeking a total blackout on news about Pacquiao not related to his candidacy for the first congressional district of South Cotabato and General Santos City.
The ban seeks to include the telecast of Pacquiao’s upcoming bout against the undefeated Mexican Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas.
Any news, interviews, and advertisements not related to Pacquiao’s candidacy are giving him “too much advantage” over Custodio, according to lawyer Sixto Brillantes of the Genuine Opposition (GO).
“He [Pacquiao] has to sacrifice all of these if he wants to become a congressman,” Birllantes told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net. “He cannot have the best of both worlds. He can’t take advantage of his congressional opponents.”
Brillantes is set to submit on Tuesday a letter asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to serve notice to all media entities to “instantly cease and desist from coming out with such prohibited advertising” involving the boxer.
“We note with deep concern that there is the incessant advertisement on TV which includes, among others, the endorsement of a prominent beer product showing the said boxer/candidate,” he wrote in the two-page letter, a draft of which was furnished the Inquirer.
“Similarly, there are radio and TV ads that continuously project and make reference to the same boxer/candidate,” he added, arguing that the advertisements violated the Fair Election Law and Comelec Resolution No. 7767.
Brillantes acknowledged that a ban would be a big blow to Pacquiao, who earns millions of pesos in advertisements that include a beer brand, food supplement, pain-reliever, “videoke” microphone, and socks.
Prohibiting the showing of his match with Solis, a pay-per-view event in the United States, would also hit hard television giant GMA-7 and Solar Sports, which earned the rights to the fight’s exclusive Philippine telecast.
It would mean a lot, too, to the ordinary boxing fan.
Activities around the country virtually come to a halt whenever Pacquiao climbs the ring.
Since his knockout win over Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, Pacquiao’s bouts, including his classic trilogy with Barrera’s compatriot Erik Morales, usually emptied streets and sent Filipinos huddling around television sets and radio.
“We’ve been saying even before that he would lose a lot [by joining politics],” Brillantes said. “We wanted to discourage him because he really was just forced. He doesn’t know the consequences of his decision to run. He thought that he’d just run, then fight in the ring, then campaign.”
Brillantes raised the idea that Pacquiao, a staunch supporter of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was fielded by Malaca?ang to topple Custodio, a vocal member of the opposition.
He said the plan was to “minimize” the number of opposition representatives in the 14th Congress to stifle another impeachment complaint against Arroyo.
Brillantes said he would also write newspapers, TV networks, radio stations, and other media entities, warning of “violations” if they continue to carry stories about Pacquiao outside the limit set by the law.
The lawyer noted that Pacquiao has been in the news almost every day because of the Solis bout.
Come fight day, he said Pacquiao’s advantage would be more pronounced through TV ads featuring the boxer between rounds. There would also be replays carrying some of the same ads.
“We feel this fight was timed right at the height of the campaign period,” Brillantes said. “It was premeditated to give him a big boost in his candidacy.”
Brillantes said informing the Comelec about the alleged violations was a significant step. Should the pre-fight advertisements continue, he said the opposition would explore the idea of seeking Pacquiao’s disqualification.
“Even if Darlene does not want it, any registered voter can file a petition to disqualify,” he said.
But before fans cringe at the prospect of not seeing their idol’s April 15 bout, Brillantes said the Comelec could allow Pacquiao’s advertisements to continue provided Custodio would be given “equal opportunities.”
“If Pacquiao, for example, is given 100 hours to talk or be advertised or be on TV, Darlene should also be given 100 hours,” he said. “That’s the essence of the Fair Election Law.”
