House should consider suspending Pacquiao till term’s end

Manny Pacquiao. AP FILE PHOTO

If it is true that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will fight on May 2, 2015, it seems only proper for the House of Representatives to decide what it will do with someone contending for the title “House Top Absentee.”

Manong Ernie Maceda and I had perfect attendance in the 1987-1992 Senate. For my part, I felt I needed more time to work there for the people.

The House should consider suspending Pacquiao up to the end of his term as he treats House work as a hobby or sideline. He just led his PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) team to elimination, which might have been avoided had his slot been given to a younger player; he is arguably the PBA’s oldest rookie. He is 36, the age when serious less materialistic NBA and PBA players think of retirement. Can one imagine Floyd dazzling the NBA and playing for Detroit at 37? But respect matters in the NBA, not only money, which blinds the PBA poo-bahs.

Manny has severely damaged the House and the PBA and is widely expected to run for the Senate in 2016. If so, he should retire now from the “Manly Art of Modified Murder on Installment Plan” and start studying. We do not underrate his capacity for subjective growth. He should read the Constitution now and confirm that he cannot run for president until 2022, when he will have met the age requirement.

Manny may have to know and accept his limitations. He and his camp bragged about an early knockout for Algieri. Quinito Henson wrote that every round, Manny did his best to take out and send his foe to Dreamland, where Juan Manuel Marquez had dispatched him for an unscheduled siesta. Manny failed, but utterly.

—RENE A.V. SAGUISAG,
ravslaw@gmail.com