By Michael Marley, Examiner.com
PART 1, MICHAEL WHITE GORILLA MARLEY'S PHILIPPINE DIARY
GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Manny is on the ropes and he is taking punches in bunches.
Manny is uncharacteristically using a defensive style.
Many pundits think Manny may be counted out and soon.
I'm here in Manny Pacquiao's hot and humid hometown and I can tell you that there is national concern about Manny's fate.
But the pundits are not talking about Pacman, they are discussing presidential candidate and Pacquiao politcal ally Manny Villar.
It's election season in the Philippines and, while Villar is trying to muscle his way into Malacanang Palace in capital Manila, Pacquiao is going head to head with poweful billionaire Roy Chiongbian for a Congressional seat from nearby Sarangani.
Let's just say, based on my “expertise” of being in this coutnry for less than 24 hours, that politics is a full contact sport.
Consider this:
Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales claimed Thursday that cheating has already begun in tabulating the ballots of two presidential candidates.
“I'm telling you that cheating has begun...some money is being distributed to Comelec officials already these days. There will be cheating in the coming elections.”
No sooner had I landed in Manila around midnight Thursday that I got wind of assassination attempts against two Sarangani imcumbent offcials. But don't get too excited, it is said the two planned killings were planned for five days apart.
Also, the Comelec officials, who run the voting machinery and procedures in all local and national elections rejected the proposed parallel manual count in the May 10 voting, saying they would stick only with their first automated procedure. These officials said a parallel count would lead to widespread cheating in the vote counting.
And you thought Pacman wanted to leave the filthy waters of boxing for a more pristine stream.
Anyway, Pacman's second try for public office has generated worldwide media interest. Crews from the ABC “Nightline” program and the CBS “60 Minutes” news magazine were shadowing the Pinoy Idol on Friday.
“The worldwide interest has been phenomenal,” Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz said. “We had the Arab network, Al Jazzera, here the other day. The Los Angeles Times is sending a reporter over and you see the ABS and CBS people here now.
“This is something we really wanted to do, to get the focus on Manny outside of boxing circles. We are very gratified there is so much interest.”
Pacquiao, who lost when he tried for Congress from GenSan against Dazzling Darlene Antonio-Custodio (intererestingly, like Chiongbian, the scion of a very rich and connected political clan), seems to have growing confidence in his electoral chances.
The fighter took Friday off but will return to the political hustings Saturday. On Sunday, he jets over to Manila, a two hour trip, to go to the Solar Sports studios where he will add his certainly expert analysis on the Floyd Mayweather-Sugar Shane Mosley fight.
But what if Pacman takes it on the chin, what if he does not toy with Roy in the voting?
Some segments of the Sarangani populace do not want to see Pacman swimming in the muck and mire of the trapos, the traditionally corrupt and vile political hacks. These folks prefer to see him concentrate on his real specialty, boxing.
If Mayweather fends off Mosley for his 41st pro victory in as many bouts, then it sets up a hot election in boxing, a real Fight of the Decade if not the Century.
Mayweather or Pacquiao?
Who R U Picking when that inevitably happens?
I say it happens whether Manny is the Honorable and I hope not the Horrible Congressman from Sarangani or not.
Over here, as political/boxing operative Hermie Rivera puts it, the Mosley-Mayweather bout is a mere audition to fight Da Pacman.
Or as the ads from phone company called SMART put it in plugging the Saturday, All American match: "Who deserves to face the Pacman?"
Meanwhile, the Cardinal of Manila has called for an end to political "mudslinging." I think the cardinal should worry more about gun slinging as the voting approaches. Mud you can easily wash off, bullets not so much.
Now where did I put down my fully loaded Uzi?
I've got to get back in the field and cover this election situation.
In the Philippines, politics is no joke.
Oh, shoot, I left my bulletproof vest in New York.
I wonder if a balutproof vest will be effective.
News alert: Pinay psychic Madam Auring just sent me a text message, she is predicting cheating, scandal, violence and voter fraud to be at a national and local alltime high on May 10.
And that is just in the "cleaner" precincts, she says.
She even says some “dead people” will be casting ballots.
Hmm, reminds me of Chicago when all those deceased people put John F. Kennedy over the top against Tricky Dick Nixon.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
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