PACQUIAO WATCH: Manny may have to stick to boxing
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 Dec 2008
THIS piece should spoil Manny's day. So I asked Pacland administrators to have this article posted when Manny is already on his way to the ring or, even better, after his fight with Oscar dela Hoya ? win or lose.
People surrounding Manny is anticipating huge monetary reward and political bonanza when his fight with Golden Boy is over.
It is no secret that Manny is bent on running a seat for Congress to represent the lone district of Sarangani after a disastrous political and financial thrashing he absorbed in 2007 in that hands of Rep. Darlene Custodio-Antonino in General Santos City.
That goal is a good 18 months away when the country holds general elections in May 2010 ? charter change forbids.
The lone congressional seat in Sarangani is up for grabs in 2010 with Rep. Erwin Chiongbian no longer eligible to run for office after having already served three consecutive terms by then.
The odds of Manny triumphing in his quest for political stardom in Sarangani seem better than him winning against dela Hoya, admittedly.
That is until tales from the grapevine said no less than the incumbent governor is eyeing the Congressional seat himself.
That will throw a monkey's wrench to the political ambitions of Manny and should send shiver to those who hoped to cash in on the popularity of the pound for pound boxing king for their own selfish political agenda.
Sarangani governor Miguel Rene Dominguez is himself no political lightweight.
He is popular, charismatic and au natural as a politician. He has the resources to run a campaign against any pretenders. More importantly, he has the crucial and decisive machinery.
Both are close to Malacanang but Manny's popularity is fleeting while Dominguez's star is still rising.
If Manny insists, he will have to amass enough wealth by fighting three more dela Hoyas to have a chinaman's chance against Dominguez.
While Manny is popular, the company he keeps is turning off the voters. Residents may take his money but the votes will not necessarily go to him.
If Manny is serious about his political plans beyond boxing, he better scan the horizon and look for allies that will enhance his stature in the political arena.
His popularity alone will not endear him to voters and his money will not always buy him a seat in Congress.
At the rate Manny is throwing away his hard-earned money, he may end up dirt poor by the time he retires from boxing if loses in his bid to become a congressman.
Should that time comes ? heaven forbid ? his coterie of bodyguards and sycophants will be gone faster than the bullet train.
There is only one way for Manny to win in Sarangani against Dominguez but that will mean a bloody and messy war of attrition.
This corner is crossing his fingers. Please don't turn Sarangani into a slaughter house.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
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