Pacquiao—Senate laughingstock

MANNY Pacquiao claims to have the best interest of the Filipino people, but he fits best as a boxer and not a member of the Senate.

Backed with the popularity he got from his storied boxing career, Pacquiao easily became one of the most powerful men in the country as he led the ouster of Liberal Party senators from their positions in the majority recently.

However, bragging that he still had mercy for what he did was unbecoming of a senator like Pacquiao.

The eight-time world champion, who is expected to read more of the Constitution since it is his duty to make laws, seems to reference more the Bible to win secular arguments.
After all, who can win against someone who says that God allows the government to use capital punishment and who claims to be the “authority on spiritual renewal”?

If we look closely, Pacquiao is being used by the administration as a puppet to execute what President Duterte wants done in the Senate – oust foremost administration critic Leila de Lima and opposition Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino and Risa Hontiveros.

However, it is not shocking for Pacquiao to exhibit this kind of behavior. He changed political parties several times that should show he’s an opportunist.

Just recently, the former pound-for-pound king was given impromptu instruction on legislation and protocol by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon when the two senators met to debate Pacquiao’s proposed boxing commission.

At one point, when Pacquiao knew he could not convince the veteran senator to agree with him, he wanted to close the interpellation only to be told by Drilon that a “closure rule” did not exist.

If not for Pacquiao’s legislative staff who could be heard coaching him, he would have looked and sounded a lot worse than he did.

Pacquiao clearly has little idea about the simple principles that govern the legislation process.

When he became a singer and an actor, it was understandable; when he played for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), it was both a sight to see and not to see.

But his inclusion in the Senate could be considered as Pacquiao’s lowest of lows.

If he really wanted to help people, then he should just have done what he is good at, which is boxing.

But what happened is he used his fame as a ticket to every endeavor he wants to pursue.
As a result, the opportunist Pacquiao became a lousy singer and actor, looked like someone who did not belong in the PBA, and now, the laughingstock of the Senate.