At first I thought it was just a destabilization ploy that usually comes before a Pacquiao fight.
Apparently, someone had spread the word that our fighting congressman, Manny Pacquiao, had actually sired a child who was made to appear as his godchild and whose baptism he personally attended.
My colleague said the issue is three weeks old, but I first heard about it only yesterday in an early morning show.
It was actually a news update squelching an earlier report that Jinkee Pacquiao was seeking annulment of her marriage to the world’s most popular and perhaps richest boxer, because of his latest caper.
Naturally, I felt compelled to verify if there was some truth to this report.
***
“Is it true or is it just another rumor to distract Manny from his training?” I asked a colleague who I thought might be able to provide me with answers.
“Who’s the girl, did the baptismal happen in Los Angeles?” I asked sounding completely clueless.
My colleague let out a big yawn. “Where have you been? That story is almost a month old. Apparently you don’t read the tabloids.”
My colleague said he didn’t know exactly how the buzz started, “but maybe suspicions arose when concerned parties learned of the name given the child.”
“As you know, Manny has a penchant for giving his kids royal or monarchic names such as Princess, Queen Elizabeth. Curiously, Manny’s godchild who is suspected to be his biological child, was christened King Arthur.
***
In spite of the mounting suspicions, the issue, according to my colleague, was already settled even before Manny left for Los Angeles.
Manny’s close friend and business associate Lito Camo is said to have come to the rescue of his compadre, swearing by a stack of Bibles that Manny was really “just a ninong.”
“Did Jinkee believe him? Or better yet, do you believe him? Maybe you know the truth, maybe you know who the girl is,” I told my scribe-friend.
***
A moment’s silence.
“Of course you and I know how extremely difficult it is to invite Manny to any event or affair, no matter how important. Now let me answer your question with another question.”
“What would prompt Manny to attend the baptismal of a seemingly ordinary child unless there’s a connection?”
My colleague gave me the name of the mother, who he said is 23 years old and a student of the culinary arts.
He said photos of the baby and the baptism rites are in the girl’s Facebook account, in case I’d like to look them up.
Her initials, appropriately, are K.O., according to my colleague.
As to the report that Jinkee plans to file an annulment of their marriage, the scribe said there is absolutely no truth to that.
“Jinkee has plans to run for public office. It won’t be such a smart move to separate from her husband, even if the rumors happen to be true,” my colleague said.