by Nick Giongco
NEW YORK CITY – This city’s biggest Manny Pacquiao fan could very well be a slim dude named Jack.
Jack tailed Pacquiao’s 15-seater black Mercedes Benz van from Gotham Hall on Broadway up to the Filipino fighter’s official home at the Mondrian Park Avenue, a distance of about a mile.
Jack had already one stuff signed at the Gotham Hall, site of Tuesday’s press conference for Pacquiao’s July 20 fight with Keith Thurman.
But Jack had more in his hand and since Pacquiao was being mobbed on his way to the venue, Jack could not have everything in his possession signed.
When Pacquiao dined in a Japanese restaurant, Jack patiently watched from the outside and waited for the fighter’s party to finish before making his move again.
Again, Pacquiao was unable to have the remaining stuff autographed since the security detail shielded their boss from anyone who wasn’t part of his team, fearing that some whacko was out to create some trouble.
Jack instead stalked Pacquiao’s black van, whose occupants included the father-and-son tandem of Sean and Brendan Gibbons, lawyer Tom Falgui, Senate staffers Steve Jumalon, Choy Garcia and David Sisson, brothers Buboy and Roger Fernandez and this writer.
Taking advantage of the gridlock in Manhattan during the afternoon rush, Jack walked, jogged and ran covering several blocks before finally catching up with Pacquiao at the hotel.
