But a fool believes he sees
the wise man has the power to reason away
what seems to be
is always better than nothing…
– Songwriters: Kenny Loggins / Michael McDonald
WELL, it does seem that Sen. Manny Pacquiao is the flavor of the month in both mainstream and social media, totally eclipsing what was supposed to be a period for declaring “undying love”, praises, testimonies and eulogies mostly imagined for former President Noynoy Aquino who just recently passed away due to End Stage Renal Disease.
Of course, much to the dismay and disappointment of the “devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon” it does appear that the “necromancy” tactic from their playbook fizzled out and might not happen anytime soon.
Meanwhile, let’s talk about the flavor of the month, Senator Pacquiao, and his ongoing series of faux pas and bloopers.
It is a fact and most people will agree that despite the expensive suits and jewelry, professional boxer and lately a senator, Pacquiao’s appearance strikes you as someone who does not really posses sophistication and intelligence, a naïve fool way beyond his level. And that perception just remained at best a suspicion until he started opening his mouth blurting out nonsense after nonsense.
It started with a statement that the Duterte government is three times more corrupt than the previous one, which of course prompted a response from President Duterte daring Pacquiao to substantiate his accusation with proof.
And it looks like Pacquiao took the bait. Now the burden of proof is on him and right on cue he came out with a supposedly list of corrupt government agencies.
I saw Pacquiao’s list but all of these allegations have already been sorted out, most of them in Senate hearings/investigations, from 2017 till 2020. Where was he during those investigations? It’s either he was absent and if he was present he must be preoccupied with something else.
And it took him almost four years to process this and he started asking questions now obviously with the 2022 elections in mind.
Senator Manny Pacquiao first singled out the Department of Health (DOH).
DOH secretary Francisco Duque said he was among those who faced the Committee of the Whole hearing at the Senate on June 14 to disclose pandemic expenses, but recalled that Pacquiao never raised any questions during the time that they were there. Not even a single question, so it’s so surprising that he suddenly issued that statement.
Pacquiao is asking about where the money loaned to buy vaccines are. Will somebody give him directions on where the Asian Development Bank is located so he can go there and personally ask the ADB people about that?
I’m guessing that he has no idea that the money loaned never went to the treasury or any government agency, that it just remained at the ADB and the bank just pays the manufacturer of the vaccines everytime they shipped the vaccines to the country.
It seems that the government has sent copies of all expenses and liquidation of Bayanihan 1 and 2 as well as all purchases of the Department of Budget and Management in relation to the pandemic to the office of Senator Pacquiao, yet he is still making statements on social media re: accounting of all government expenses on pandemic response. Could it be because the reports are in English, a language the good senator is not comfortable with and having great difficulty comprehending?
Pacquiao said his dream is for the government to have free hospital care for all seniors; and this can be achieved by passing a law to that effect and making laws is the job of a senator. Is he aware that he can do that now as one?
From the looks of it, Pacquiao’s P50-million PR budget is well spent. He’s now all over social media looking like a fool trying to be clever.
All this nonsense is because he wants to be the next president of the republic. In his punch-drunk brain he imagines himself as God’s chosen one, the next messiah to deliver the people into the promise land.
And finally, take note folks, Pacquiao has never fought for the Philippines. All his fights are for himself and money. He has never represented the country in the SEA Games, Asian Games or the Olympics, so all that nonsense “ang laban ko ay para as bayan” is as empty as “tuwid na daan”. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com)/PN
