PACQUIAO PAYS COURTESY CALL ON NOYNOY AQUINO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 May 2010
Congressman-elect Manny Pacquiao paid a courtesy call on Senator Noynoy Aquino on Tuesday night at the Aquino residence on Times Square.
Pacquiao was accompanied by his wife Jinkee and members of his entourage during the call on Aquino who is leading in the race for the presidency by a wide margin.
Among those who accompanied Pacquiao were lawyer Franklin ?Jeng? Gacal, Eric Pineda, Jake Joson and former Manila congressman Miles Roces, a son-in-law of former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza who was a fixture during welcome motorcades for Pacquiao.
During their meeting Pacquiao expressed his support for Aquino who is regarded by all accounts as as the incoming president.
A member of Team Pacquiao, Eric Pineda, told us that Pacquiao?s wife Jinkee and Aquino?s sister Kris are close friends and ?even text-mates? and that it would be wrong to underestimate the power of a woman.
According to an Aquino spokesman the two discussed the situation in Sarangani province where Pacquiao won the lone congressional seat in a stunning landslide over the wealthy and entrenched Chiongbian family whose candidate was 61 year old Roy Chiongbian.
It was Pacquiao who requested for the meeting with Aquino which lasted less than an hour.
Political observers pointed out that for several years Pacquiao had stood by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who, in turn, supported Pacquiao even before he became a boxing superstar. However, Pacquiao bolted the administration party and supported Nacionalista Party candidate Manny Villar in the last elections, endorsing him at big rallies and supporting his candidacy in a paid political ad which took a swipe at Aquino claiming that he was always fighting but had not achieved anything.
It prompted a response from feisty Kris Aquino who stated that her brother had never lost in an election while Pacquiao had suffered defeats in the ring.
Senator Aquino reportedly granted Pacquiao?s request for a courtesy call as a gesture of politeness.
Joson who was at the meeting stressed that Pacquiao ?never abandoned President Arroyo? and that he has always advocated ?unity during his fights and asked the people to get together and set aside their differences.?
Joson said the meeting with Aquino was in keeping with Pacquiao?s call to support the president no matter who he is, in the quest for national unity.
Meantime, a leading congressman and former Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong has called on Pacquiao?s legal team to review a provision in the Constitution which states that government officials must refrain from practicing their profession which means that while serving in Congress, Pacquiao may violate the law should he continue to fight because boxing is his profession.
Datumanong made the statement according to NBN sports show host Snow Badua in order to ?prevent any inconvenience? in the future. According to Badua, Datumong admitted that he too is keen to see Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.
People at the Philippine Airlines Centennial Terminal who were there when Pacquiao arrived from his hometown of General Santos City on Tuesday said that while he normally had a large crowd of people around him most of the time, now it appeared that Pacquiao?s entourage appeared to have doubled.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
MANNY PACQUIAO VS. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. ONCE AGAIN
By Maloney L. Samaco, Fri, 07 Nov 2025NBA Reportedly Met with Congress Regarding Gambling Issues
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 07 Nov 2025IM Dableo and IM Banawa Headline 17th Kamatyas FIDE Rapid Chess Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 07 Nov 2025VERGIL ORTIZ VS ERICKSON LUBIN FINAL PRESSCON QUOTES
Fri, 07 Nov 2025WBC maintains protection of women's boxing with 2-minute rounds
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 07 Nov 2025Muntinlupa tops Sambo demo
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 07 Nov 2025Weights From Atlantic City
Fri, 07 Nov 2025DC Jiu Jitsu wins 6 golds, 4 silvers, 11 bronzes
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 07 Nov 2025Gladiator Management Fighters In Action This Fall
Thu, 06 Nov 2025NBA Daily: Doncic Shines as Lakers Topple Wembanyama and the Spurs 118-116
By Reylan Loberternos, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Jellie Ann Magro wins 6 straight, Quezon City down Isabela in PCAP
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 06 Nov 2025Carlos De Leon Castro Stays Perfect with Explosive TKO Win in Orlando on DAZN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Donaire in historic bid
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 06 Nov 2025BROADCAST DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR CMH2: BADOU JACK VS. NOEL MIKAELIAN
Thu, 06 Nov 2025Top prospect Marco Romero A victim of dramatic changes in Today’s professional boxing world
Thu, 06 Nov 2025