GENERAL SANTOS CITY , Philippines — All signs point to a big win by Manny Pacquiao.
A lot of phone calls and radio communication at around five in the afternoon yesterday made the boxing icon smile like he’d won the heavyweight title as early indications show him leading his rival, Roy Chiongbian, for the congressional seat in the province of Sarangani.
And by seven in the evening, Pacquiao, in any of his four cellphones on hand, started receiving congratulatory messages from his supporters. There were calls for a victory party but the boxer himself would rather put it on hold until everything becomes official.
Still, he couldn’t hide his happiness even if he never really looked surprise with the results.
“It was 70-30 percent on my favor in the surveys the last two weeks. He caught up a little the next few days but on the final hours before the elections we dropped the atomic bomb,” said the 31-year-old boxing superstar without elaborating as to what the A-Bomb was.
Early numbers from precincts from at least three towns are proving the surveys right, with Pacquiao comfortably leading Chiongbian in Malungon, 847-206, Maasin, 594-85, and Alabel, 342-175.
“This is already the trend and it’s quite improbable to reverse,” said Cesar Yamuta, who heads the education department of the Pacquiao campaign.
“I can’t see how this can be reversed,” said Bob Arum.
And barring any miracle from the Chiongbian camp, Pacquiao stands to become the first professional boxer in history ever to hold a congressional post. As it is, he’s already part of history as the only winner of seven world titles in seven different weight classes.
The next time he fights, and it could be in November, he will be introduced by ring announcer Michael Buffer as the “fighting congressman from Sarangani.”
Insiders from the Pacquiao camp have claimed victory in most of the seven towns in Sarangani with a total voting population of over 270,000. They’ve claimed victories in the vote-rich towns of Malungon (49,270) and Alabel (41,279) or even in Glan (56,881).
Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, is in town, and inside the nerve center of the Pacquiao campaign, which they dubbed as the “pentagon,” said he’s making an offer to Chiongbian to come and see the next Pacquiao fight, tickets for free and a hotel suite as well.