Scribe feels awfully sorry for Pacquiao

Fromer senator Nikki Coseteng, now an academician, was at the office of Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia the other day to seek his support for the swimming marathon relay she is organizing with former national swimmer Susan Papa. The 24-hour swim marathon aims to  break a Guiness Book world record established by Italy.
Nikki also invited Garcia to participate in the event, to which the PSC chief graciously obliged.
“I will swim, but no special ceremonies please,” Garcia said. “I will just be one of the swimmers.”
Garcia will be joined by his commissioners. Ironically, Akiko Thompson, a former national swimmer, will not be able to make it.
During the time Nikki and Susan were at the PSC, Akiko was having contractions. She was about to give birth.
What would be his swimming attire, I asked the chair, noting that he is still trim and fit for his age. “Will you be wearing a bikini swimsuit?” I asked jokingly.
Garcia said he will wear a flowered knee-length Hawaiian trunks.
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A senior colleague said he feels awfully sorry for Manny Pacquiao, who recently won an unprecedented eight world boxing title in as many weight divisions after beating Mexican fighter Antonio Margarito by unanimous decision last Nov. 14 in Arlington, Texas.
“Sorry? Why on earth would you feel sorry for a man who has everything this world of ours can afford to give: fame, wealth, health, a good family, love and admiration, plus a seat in Congress. How could you be sorry for someone like that?” I asked.
 My colleague said he is sorry for Pacquiao because the people around him are exploiting him, the reason why he gets into trouble and suffers embarrassment.
“It is his handlers who commit him  to deals like the concert in Lake Tahoe, the Meet and Greet event in Vallejo, California, and that recording transaction where he allegedly accepted $40,000 in advance payment to record several songs, which he never did.”
Now this recording company has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the pound-for-pound king for breach of contract, while his fans in Vallejo are clamoring for a refund of the $150 (per ticket) they each paid so they would be able to meet the boxing hero.
The Internet said that while Pacquiao made it to the venue, he only sang a few songs before driving away immediately. No meeting at close range, no photographs with the hero, no autographs.
Fortunately, there seems to be no complaints about the Lake Tahoe concert.
The way I look at it, Pacquiao is being squeezed dry by certain elements. Shouldn’t a boxer like him, who had  just been through 12 rounds of pummeling with bumps and bruises to show, be getting a much-needed rest? This is the first time I hear of a boxer doing a concert a few days after an energy-sapping fight.
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Contrary to reports in basketball circles, business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan is not interested in having a third PBA team, after Talk ‘N Text and Meralco.
“Two is enough,” MVP was quoted as saying by the business press.
Despite this direct statement from no less than the chair of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., mother company of Maynilad, the buzz about the purchase of a third PBA team by MVP gets even louder. Well, only time will tell. We have been trying to call Maynilad president-CEO Ricky Vargas for enlightenment, but he has not returned our call.