MICHAEL MARLEY'S PHILIPPINE DIARY, PART 23:
YOU'VE HEARD OF WILD SAMOANS? CHRIS AGUILAR IS BIG, BAD BUT MILD SAMOAN AND PERSONAL MINDER (BODYGUARD) OF WORLD CHAMPION BOXER-CONGRESSMAN FROM SARANGANI, MANNY PACQUIAO
GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Chris Aguilar, formerly a pro wrestler and then a movie actor and bodyguard to the stars, is a quiet but vital part of the always growing Manny Pacquiao team.
You've heard of the old tag team, the Wild Samoans?
You might call Manila resident Aguilar, who provided muscle without bustle for the Marcos regime for two decades in power, the Mild Samoan.He says he was also one of many Muhammad Ali bodyguards when Ali fought Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla In Manila" back in 1975, even though he was just 16 years old.
Aguilar walks softly but, when you take one look at his bulky frame, you know he's not a man to be messed about.
“They called me the Garbage Collector back then, I wrestled during the 1980s,” Aguilar said Tuesday in the wake of employer Pacman's sensational, landslide Congressional victory over billionaire Roy Chiongbian in Sarangani Province.“I was a human garbage collector, taking out all the trash,” Aguilar says, with a smile. “I was in the ring with Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Captain Lou Albano and that era of guys. Then I started working in movies with Chuck Norris, Christopher Walken, Robert Duvall and other big name stars. I worked on the movie, Apocalypse Now."
Keeping a minder's eye on celebrities is one thing while quietly tending to Pacquiao is another, Aguilar explained.
“I stay in the background with Manny and just do my job. I don't want people to be jealous or envious of me. I see a lot of lions and wolves around him but I don't get involved in that.”
Aguilar worked Monday as a Pacquiao pollwatcher in the province and was an eyewitness as the fighter rolled to a 2 to 1 victory over the entrenched for 20 plus years Chingbian machine in either six or seven of the key districts.
Chiongbian was expected to concede defeat later Tuesday, in late morning or early afternoon, but Comelec, which runs elections in the archipelago, may beat the beaten favorite to the punch, certifying the results any minute now.
At 1:30 am, in the wee hours Tuesday, Pacman had 53,727 votes to his foe's 24,305 and that seemed irreversible with 66.75 percent of all precincts reporting.
Manny may have eked out a victory in Alabel but it was clear he cleaned Chiongbian's clock in Glan and Kiamba. Manny also rolled up big margins in Maasim, Maitum, Malapatan and in Malugnon, the our M's.
Aguilar thinks it was a smashing victory for the little people as they now have a new voice from the new generation to fight their battles in the lower house in Manila.
“This is the work of God, I say. This was a battle between the dark side and the light side. God would not allow anymore control by the others. The people of Sarangani will suffer no more.
“Now Manny is happy, Manny is smiling and Manny will keep the promises he made.
“Now the people have someone who will stand up for them because the others had their time, all the way to the Marcos regime.”
Aguilar compared the electoral landslide to Pacquiao grabbing an eight world title belt.
“This is Manny's eighth title, it really is,” Aguilar said. “I would give my life to my Big Boss as I call Manny. He is a very good and very generous person. I told voters in Saragani don't miss this chance as it is a one in a million chance.”
Aguilar hooked up with Pacquiao in Manila in 2003 just after the fighter's last ring defeat, a loss to Mexican icon Erik Morales.
Aguilar said some sort of divine inspiration caused him to walk to Pacman's Manila home.
“I went there and he came home, I knew he was a very kind person and I needed some help, some partime work then.
“It was only Manny, (wife) Jinkee and their driver back then. I spoke with Manny and finally said, 'Hey, Big Boss, can I have permission to leave?' He told me he would use my services and he gave me 5,000 peros on the spot.”
Aguilar pointed out that the Pacman voting tsunami also carried several of his affiliated mayoral candidates to victory.
Brighter times loom in poverty stricken, very rural Sarangani, Aguilar said.
“Manny also has many rich friends in America who will help him in Sarangani. He will make tourism big there, he wants to put in a port of entry to boost tourism. I may have to start putting on my VIP suit.”
The last line was a joke as Aguilar keeps a protective eye on Pacman while he is casually dressed.
Speculation is already rife that Congress is the first step to a presidential bid, maybe six years away, for the nation's most popular personality.
“If it is God's will, then it will happen that way,” Aguilar said. “It took Manny to stand up and end the monopoly of interests in Sarangani.”
The approachable Aguilar, who asks one and all to refer to him as “agow” meaning cousin, plans to be there, keeping a watchful eye on his Big Boss all the way.
Lions and wolves, beware, the “Garbage Collector” is on the job for Pacquiao.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
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