NO congressman should be allowed to watch Manny Pacquiao fight Miguel Cotto on Nov. 15 (Manila Time)?

That’s what Cong. Edno Joson of Nueva Ecija wants.

Do you agree with him?

I mean, do you want your congressman off-limits to Pacquiao’s fights in Las Vegas?

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Joson’s reason: Congressmen watching every Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas could be spending people’s money.

You believe that?

I can.

Of course, it is people’s money that congressmen spend, not only when they go watch Pacquiao bash heads in Las Vegas, but also from Day One that we elected them.

Where do you think their money would come from?

From the sky like rain?

It is our taxes that feed them.

It is our taxes that buy their cars and business suits.

It is also our taxes that make them happy—and them watching Pacquiao fight makes them happy.

Anything wrong there, you see?

Not me.

Goes with the territory.

We installed them to Congress, well, let’s be broadminded.

If they end up as the so-called two-footed crocs on the loose, whose fault is it?
Don’t look at me.

Look in the mirror.

But then again, what’s wrong with our congressmen watching a Pacquiao show in Las Vegas?

Pacquiao has become the biggest show on Earth the last five years or so.

Why don’t we all savor it, while we still can?

Lucky are our congressmen, they have the means to travel to Las Vegas.

Well, again, didn’t we give them that power, too?

If Filipinos are intrinsic great boxers (Pancho Villa, Flash Elorde and now Pacquiao), Filipinos are basically rabid boxing fans, too--politician or otherwise.

I must admit I am also a fan. And had I become a congressman in 1992 (I almost ran in Pangasinan upon the urgings of Boss Danding Cojuangco), I would have been also a target of Joson.

Simply put, those solons love the sport and their being congressmen should not deter them from pursuing their addiction to boxing.

I believe Joson can do better than pick on Pacquiao fans in Congress.

To antagonize Pacquiao fans is to also antagonize Pacquiao himself.

Will somebody please remind Joson that Pacquiao would run for Congress in 2010?

How soon Joson would open his eyes—that is the question.

(alsol47@yahoo.com)