Bilib kay Pacquiao bilang atleta, pero ‘di raw sa pagiging politiko.
Bilang isang fighter at world champion nasa pedestal si Manny Pacquiao sa pagtingin ni Nonito Donaire, Jr.
Ngunit, bilang isang politiko, walang makitang dahilan ang tinaguriang ‘The Filipino Flash’ para mapabilib siya ni Pacman, nagwagi bilang ikapitong Senador sa nakalipas na halalan.
Sa panayam ng Philboxing.com matapos ang press launching ng kanyang laban kay Mexican Jessie Magdaleno – isa sa undercard sa pagbabalik aksiyon ni Pacquaio kontra sa Mexican ding si Jessie Vargas sa Nobyembre 5 – sinabi ni Donaire na hindi niya iboboto si Pacquiao kung tatakbo itong Pangulo ng Pilipinas.
“Honestly, I probably wouldn’t,” pahayag ni Donaire, isang US citizen matapos magmigrante sa Amerika may ilang taon na ang nakalilipas.
“It depends on how he would be. In order for someone to become President, you have to take the time to get the word of the people. He hasn’t presented himself well as a politician. He’s presented himself as a celebrity,” sambit ni Donaire.
“For one, he’s been the most absent of anyone in Congress, and you have to be true to your word. I love Manny, and he’s a great friend of mine. But I’m looking at it from a man who wants the country to be better.”
“In order for him to get my vote, he has to commit,” aniya.
Sa nakalipas na panayam, inamin ni Pacquiao ang ilang pagkukulang bilang Congressman ng Sarangani Province, ngunit bilang Senador, impresibo sa kasalukuyan ang kanyang trabaho.
Sa record ng 16th Congress, naitala ni Pacman ang 22 pagliban sa regular session, kabilang ang 16 na walang opisyal na dahilan.
Sa kanyang paghahanda para agawan ng titulo si WBO Welterweight champion Jessie Vargas, nagagawang mahati ng People’s Champion ang oras sa session sa Senado at pagsasanay sa kalapit na Elorde gym sa Pasay City.
Iginiit ni Donaire na hanga siya sa ginagawa ni Pacquiao na mag-ensayo na hindi nasasakripisyo ang tungkulin niya bilang Senador at umaasa siyang mapagtatagumpayan nito ang kanyang layunin.
“Manny Pacquiao has passion. If he can apply that to his position, then he can be a great President,” paalala ni Donaire.
“It’s no different than Manny inside the ring. Are we going to see a version of Pacquiao who’s just going to go with the flow, or are we going to see the Manny who is going to go out and take everything from everybody.”
“He needs to create a word people can trust, and to be there for the people. To take the time to make it happen.
Because we already know he’s a great guy and he has the passion. If he can do that, then I can say that he’s got my vote,” aniya.
Sa nalalapit na laban sa Thomas & Mack Center, kumpiyansa si Donaire, tinaguriang ‘Fighter of the Year’ noong 2012, na maidedepensa ang kanyang WBO Super Bantamweight championship kontra kay Magdaleno.
“Jessie is a great challenger, a mandatory title defense and I know he’s hungry because he has been calling me out on social media,” pahayag ni Donaire.
“I am working great with my new trainer Ismael Salas. We are learning about each other and he’s instructing me on a more precise, compact way of fighting while still being very explosive as everyone is going to see on November 5.”
Itataya naman ni Magdaleno ang malinis na kartabg 23-0, tampok ang 17 KOs. Hawak ng dating US Amateur Champion ang impresibong along knockout sa huling 10 laban.