I FIND these lines from the 2000 movie Gladiator very relevant.
Quintus: “People should know when they are conquered.”
Maximus: “Would you, Quintus? Would I?”
Probably we can ask the Pambansang Kamao the same thing. Would 38-year-old Senator Manny Pacquiao know when age has finally caught up and conquered him?
Would fans know when their idol would finally hang up his gloves and move on? Would they?
Judging from comments of local officials, most wouldn’t know. Just read the VoxPop Bacolod news on the Pacquiao loss.
Despite the loss of Senator Manny Pacquiao in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight match against Jeff Horn, we get a comment from Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. that the “people’s champ” was defeated by Horn via unanimous decision.
He said, however, that Filipino boxing fans should still “laud and support” Pacquiao for his performance. “To millions of his followers, friends and family, he remains a sports hero being the only eight-division boxing champion of the world,” he said. “Manny is not new to this situation.”
Then from the Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, we get a denial of loss. The fight was “rigged” to ensure another match. “If all scorecards were 115-113 for Horn, I would give it a benefit of the doubt. But 117-111 smells like this fight was rigged to make sure Pacman fights again, and again,” he said. “He already said he will accept a rematch. Let this be his last!”
Reacting to Pacquiao’s loss, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he cannot believe that Pacquaio lost. “I cannot also believe that it was based on a unanimous decision,” the mayor said.
Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano said he thought Pacquiao won the fight. A former New People’s Army guerilla, Paduano would know when he’s defeated. He said it’s time for Pacquiao to hang up his boxing gloves as “age is catching up with him. Just an unsolicited advice, it’s time for the Filipino pride to retire... We can see it in this fight and even in his previous fight, he is slowing down.”
At least, Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, acting director of Bacolod City Police Office, scored the fight in favor of Bacolod. Wanky said the city was generally peaceful during the hours of the Pacquiao-Horn match, with a zero crime incident.
Amen to that.
(bqsanc@yahoo.com)
