Valero couldn't have killed self - Pacquiao -- Philippine Star

By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao was “shocked and surprised” over the death of Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero but isn’t falling for the suicide story hook, line and sinker.

Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, yesterday said the Filipino champion was out on the campaign trail when he learned that Valero had committed suicide in a jail cell in Caracas.

Valero, who knocked out all his 27 opponents, was earlier arrested for the killing of his wife, but based on reports he handed out his own death sentence by hanging himself using his own clothes.

“Manny knew about the stabbing of Valero’s wife but when I told him that Valero had committed suicide he was totally shocked and surprised,” said Koncz from General Santos City.

Pacquiao, who’s seeking a congressional seat in the province of Sarangani, feels that there could be more than the suicide story.

“He thought about the possibility of a conspiracy,” said Koncz of Pacquiao.

“And that it was possible that the family of Valero’s wife had powerful friends and so there could have been a conspiracy to get back at Valero. How can you hang yourself using your clothes?” Koncz asked.

“Someone might have gotten back at Valero. If police authorities felt that Valero could be a danger even to himself, they should have stripped him down to his briefs inside his cell or put on a straight jacket on him,” he added.

“They do that in the United States. Venezuelan authorities should have placed Valero under suicidal watch,” said Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser when asked how Pacquiao felt about the death of his potential opponent.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, told boxing chronicler Michael Marley he wasn’t shocked when Valero committed suicide.

“I was shocked, really shocked, when he murdered the wife. But I was not shocked to hear this morning that he killed himself. I really figured it would end this way, starting from when he came down (from drugs and/or alcohol) and he realized what he had done to the wife,” Arum said.

“So am I shocked that he then killed himself? No I am not, because I believed he then realized he could either kill himself or spend the rest of his life in a prison cell,” Arum said.

“Valero’s smartest move, the only move he had left, was to take his own life. It is a tragic thing anyway you want to look at it. He wanted to avoid spending the rest of his life in jail and this was his only way to avoid it,” said the legendary promoter.

Source: philstar.com