EVEN IN BRISBANE, PACQUIAO'S THOUGHTS ARE WITH HIS COUNTRYMEN
By Eddie Alinea of Spin.ph
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 25 Jun 2017
Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has landed in Brisbane but instead on focusing all his attention on the final week of his preparation for his title showdown with his Australian challenger Jeff Horn, the World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder?s mind remains on his countrymen he left home.
?No, I?m not distracted. Not at all para ma-pektuhan ako sa darating na laban. I?m just a little bit worried about our kababayans, especially my fellow Mindanaoans na naiwan natin sa gitna ng labanang nangyayari sa bahaging iyon ng ating bansa,? the 38-year-old Philippine Senator said in a long distance telephone talk early this morning.
?Medyo worried lang ako at nalulungkot with the thoughts na ang hidwaan ay sa pagitan ng Pilipino laban sa Pilipino. Masakit isipin, di ba?," the former two-time congressman who is staking his 147-pound belt against the unbeaten Aussie on July 2 in the encounter billed ?Battle of Brisbane, lamented.
?When the conflict arose a little over a month ago, nakiusap na ako sa mga kababayan nating Muslim na tigilan na ang uprising, kasi nga ang mga namamatay ay Pilipino at ang mga pumapatay ay Pilipino rin,? the Pancman recalled.
Pacquiao said that before his team left General Santos, he also met with Muslim leaders there and the areas surrounding the city and Sarangani. ?May kahirapan kasi ang situwasyon because inspired ng international terrorists, according to our AFP. So, pinakiusap ko na lang sa kanila to convince those not involved na ipagdasal na wala sanang malaking pinsala, both in peoples? lives and properties,? Pacquiao remarked.
?In the same breath, I also beg our countrymen na hindi naman nadadamay na ipagdasal ang gating mga kababayang apektadong kaguluhan. Ganun din sa mga Pilipinong dito na sa Australia nakatira,? he told this writer.
?Yun din ang ipananalangin ko pag-attend ko ng church services later today. Na sana mabalik na andg kapayapaan sa ating bayan. Na sana maliwanagan ang isip ng mga nag-a-alsa na walang mabuting magagawa sa bayan ang mga nangyayari ngayon,? the owner of no less than 11 world titles in eight divisions said.
And. of course, he added, ?ipadgdasal din sana ninyo ako sa labang kong ito para manalo ako at maligtas kaming lahat dito na miyembro ng Team Pilipinas sa anumang sakit at sakuna.?
?I, too, wish all our Mulim brothers a peaceful Eid?l Fitr!,? he said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea of Spin.ph.
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