What’s happening to Koko?

Sen. Koko Pimentel said he is going to file a bill that would exempt from taxes the multibillion-peso purse Manny Pacquiao would get from his megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. What’s happening to Koko? Like the “Resign-P-Noy” plotters, has he also gone cuckoo?

Pacquiao is already a billionaire from his previous purses, on which he still owes taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). He will earn more than P2 billion from this bout with Mayweather, and Koko wants that purse tax-exempt at the same time that the BIR is squeezing teachers, clerks and other workers for more income tax payments. Is that fair?

With his already immense wealth, Pacquiao still collects his salaries and allowances as a congressman (and those of his staff) although he does not attend sessions. Why did he run for a Congress seat if he could not contribute to the enactment of good laws? These salaries and allowances come from the taxes paid by underprivileged taxpayers. Now Koko still wants Pacquiao’s billions to be tax-exempt? What’s happening to Koko?

The government has increased the fares for the Metrorail 3 allegedly because it has no money to subsidize the fares of ordinary Filipinos. The government cannot provide homes for homeless Filipinos because it claims it has no funds. Many communities in the rural areas have no roads, more are badly in need of repair, but the government cannot repair them because it says it has no funds. But Koko still wants to exempt multibillionaire Pacquiao from paying taxes. What’s happening to Koko?

Pacquiao has expensive mansions, expensive cars, a helicopter, a plane and a yacht, according to reports; his mother behaves as if she were a queen, and his wife as if she were a princess—both of them flaunting expensive jewelry. But Koko still wants to exempt him from paying taxes? What’s happening to Koko?

Pacquiao is idolized by Filipinos and by boxing fans from other countries (sometimes too much, if you ask me); that is enough recognition for him as a boxer. Is it still necessary for a poor country like the Philippines to exempt him from taxes for his achievements as a boxer?

What’s the big deal here, Senator? You did well as chair of the blue ribbon subcommittee investigating corruption charges against Vice President Jejomar Binay. Why did you have to spoil it with your foolish tax-exemption proposal immensely favoring billionaire Pacquiao?

Pacquiao will pay the BIR only 10 percent of his megapurse. He will pay the United States government 22 percent, the maximum rate in that country. But because the maximum rate in the Philippines is 32 percent, he still has to pay the balance of 10 percent to the BIR.

He is willing to pay the United States government 22 percent but is not willing to pay his home country less than half of that?

What’s happening to Pacquiao and Koko?

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In a thinly-veiled attempt to embarrass Interior Secretary Mar Roxas during the Senate hearing last Tuesday on the Mamasapano massacre, Sen. Nancy Binay succeeded only in having egg splashed on her face. And it showed those who voted for her the low blows she is capable of, just to pull down her father’s rival in the elections next year.

Nancy is, of course, the daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay who has declared his candidacy as president as soon as he took his oath of office as vice president. Binay is the subject of separate hearings on his alleged ill-gotten wealth acquired while he was mayor of Makati. Binay has refused to honor summonses issued by the blue ribbon subcommittee.

Roxas was a resource person in the Mamasapano hearings held by the committee chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.

In Tuesday’s hearing. Senator Binay told Roxas: “A gentle reminder. Kindly tell the truth. I asked in the last hearing if you informed the President (about the Mamasapano clash). Hindi kayo nakasagot (You were unable to answer). But yesterday, nabanggit nyo na-text nyo pala ang President (you mentioned that you texted the President) at 8 a.m.”

Roxas did not allow this slur on his honesty and Senator Binay’s inaccurate statement to go unchallenged.

He said: “I have been and will always tell the truth. I did not commit at any time what you are implying in your statement, Madame Senator.”

Roxas had told the previous hearing last week that he would have to check his cell phone records to establish the timeline of the messages. Apparently, Nancy mistook this as Roxas’ inability to answer her pointed questions.

While it had been established in the hearing that Roxas and Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina of the Philippine National Police had been kept out of the loop of Oplan Exodus, Nancy continued to dog Roxas with barbed questions.

“And what was the President’s answer to your text message?” Nancy asked.

“Thank you.”

“Thanks lang, ho?”

“No, not ‘thanks,’ ‘thank you’.”

Besides, Roxas reminded the senator, how could he relay information on an operation he knew nothing about in the first place.

“Masasabi lang namin kung ano ang alam namin. We were cut out. Ano ma-re-report namin (We can report only on what we know. We were cut out. What can we report)?”

Touché.