THE biggest tragedy for us poor Pinoys was how Manny Pacquiao, our Great Brown Hope, suffered his biggest defeat last week.

Pacquiao did not fall inside the boxing ring.

No, he was never cut and bloodied.

In fact, Pacquiao did not lose to an opponent.

He fell a victim of himself.

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That’s never easy to explain.

But, after winning the toughest, most harrowing battles in his boxing career, Pacquiao balked.

He failed what was basically a routine scrutiny.

He failed a crucial test of character.

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So what would you have done if you were in Pacquiao’s place?

Nick Bruan, the lean, dusky overworked daily wage-earner who was greatly shaken by Pacquiao’s misdemeanor, swore he would’ve readily stood his ground.

It’s like this: Pacquiao, who has earned more than what he could’ve dreamed of, was left to chose: Honor a multimillion deal or gain countless more millions by rescinding it.

He agreed to dishonor his live pact with Solar Sports.

He also readily exposed his cheap, shallow nature.

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For starters, we all knew Pacquiao, easily the finest boxer in the world today, could also bid to become the greatest Filipino of our time.

After all, he has earned worldwide nod with his athletic achievements, coupled by the nobility he has displayed in his career.

There were, in fact, those who would openly claim that, more than tiny Jojo Binay, Pacquiao should be our next president.

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How Pacquiao squandered his hard-earned greatness is the greatest tragedy of our time.

Pacquiao figured in a self-inflicted disaster that shattered the hopes and spirits of those who had blindly worshipped him.

Worse, Pacquiao may never be able to go home again!

Not in his palatial mansion, in his birthplace General Santos City.

He just won’t be as hot, honorable and heroic again in the hearts of the countless believers whom he took down with him in his mindless fall.

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The sadder chapter of this ongoing tragedy was how Pacquiao had initially brushed off the fraud as a slip of the tongue.

Of course, this great warrior dubbed as the Pacific Storm, did not only trip on his slippers.

As the greatest advertisement of himself and his countrymen, the Pacman has also succeeded in presenting a cheap, slurping image of the Filipino to the world.

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“Manny is ill-advised, but time will come when he would return to his proper senses,” says Col. Pat Piñol, boxing fan and scholar, from his base in North Cotabato.

Adds Col. Piñol: “Everybody commits mistakes, but Pacquiao committed a mistake with an ulterior motive.”

The tested police officer says his admiration of Pacquiao has been totally shattered by the Pacman’s latest display of incredible selfishness.

Col. Pat was unsure if he would be able to welcome Pacquiao if the world boxing icon visits Kidapawan again.