Are your lawmakers in Vegas for Pacquiao-Mayweather fight?
LET’S check the list of government officials who are in Las Vegas, where the “Fight of the Century” between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will take place this Sunday.
Are your representatives there?
According to a source who requested anonymity, among the representatives who are in Las Vegas for the Pacquiao fight are the following:
-Negros Oriental Representative Albee Benitez
-Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco
-Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez
-Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua
-Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza
-Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing
-Manila Rep. Sandy Ocampo
-Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, and
-Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia
It remains to be seen however if some of them will be watching at the MGM Grand Garden Arena or via pay per view. The tickets for the fight are priced at $10,000, $7,500, $5,000, $3,500, $2,500 and $1,500.
“I am in Vegas, but still don’t have a ticket. Kung wala, kahit pay per view lang,” Tiangco said in a text message. Tiangco is the interim president of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance.
Benitez confirmed in a text message that he will watch the biggest fight of the year at the MGM Grand Arena. He is the fourth richest representative in 2013 with a net worth of P713.875 million.
Cua said he is in Las Vegas and is still hopeful he would be able to watch.
“I am still unsure if I will be able to watch the fight. I am just having a vacation with my family… Syempre I will find a way to watch it kahit sa TV,” Cua said in a text message.
Another source also said Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla, the wife of pork barrel scam suspect detained senator Ramon Revilla Jr., is in San Francisco not for the fight but for the check-up of their son Cavite vice governor Jolo Revilla, who survived a gunshot wound in the chest.
“Jolo is priority. It just so happened it was the fight of Pacquiao. Even before, Congresswoman Revilla is not a fan of boxing,” the source said in Filipino.
Jolo will also not be in the fight because of his scheduled checkup, the source said, adding that he is accompanied by his girlfriend actress Jodi Sta. Maria.
Meanwhile, still in Washington awaiting their tickets, according to the source, are ABAKADA Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz, Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento and Angkla Rep. Jesulito Manalo.
“We are here [in Washington D.C.] on official business. [We will] go to Vegas if there’s a ticket. If none, we’ll just watch with relatives on pay per view,” Dela Cruz said in a text message.
But Rep. Sarmiento denied that he will be attending the fight.
“I’ll be doing district work, not watching the fight in MGM,” Sarmiento said. His office said he would remain in the Philippines.
The other representatives could not be reached for confirmation as of press time.
Boxing champion Pacquiao also represents Sarangani province in the lower chamber, and is the richest congressman with a net worth of P1.4 billion in 2013. He is also the top absentee in the chamber, though he said he may be absent in the plenary but he is active in his district.
Editors Note. This post was updated on May 4, 2015, to reflect the statement from Rep. Sarmiento’s office that he was not in Washington, D.C. but in the Philippines.
