By Rey Danseco
MAYOR Lito Atienza denied about the rumor of Manny Pacquiao’s candidacy for vice mayor of Manila under the Liberal Party in the May 2007 Philippine elections.
Atienza insisted that his party hasn’t considered Pacquiao as a runningmate for his son Ali Atienza, who plans to run for the soon to be vacated post of his dad.
“The rumor of his candidacy (for Vice Mayor) has started after he registered here few months ago. He is now a voter of Manila,” said Atienza.
Atienza insisted that he doesn’t question the wisdom and potentials of the 27-year old fighter, who never completed elementary education, to govern.
He said, Pacquiao would have never become a two-time world champ and one of the most admired fighters in the world if he was not an intelligent person.
Pacquiao left his native General Santos City and registered as resident voter of Manila before he prepared for the third fight against Erik Morales last Saturday at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao is the adopted son of Manila, where he owns several properties including a condominium unit which the Manila government gave him as a gift after his previous impressive victory in the United States.
Pacquiao spent his teenage years in Manila, the hotbed of Philippine boxing, as he trained in the crowded Sampaloc district to take the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title, World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight crown, WBC international super bantamweight title and International Boxing Federation super bantameight belt.
