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October 09, 2002
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Dads deny asking tickets to Pacquiao fight
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
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DAVAO -- Organizers of the Manny Pacquiao-Fahrakorb Rakkiatgym boxing bout have accused Davao City councilors of asking 26 complimentary tickets to the world title fight.
The City Council is apparently taking the accusations seriously and took the matter up in an executive session prior to Tuesday's regular sessio.
Council members were quick to deny the allegations.
Councilor Peter Laviņa, in a talk with reporters, admitted that the matter was taken up during the executive session.
"We just laughed it off. These are purely speculations. It is not true," Laviņa said of the organizers' claim.
"The councilors can afford to buy their own tickets," he added.
Councilor Bonifacio E. Militar said the allegation was "embarrassing."
Militar is one of the sponsors of the fight at the Rizal Memorial Colleges gym this October 26 and has even bought a ringside seat for P50,000.
During the executive session, the councilors agreed to give the boxing bout tax exemption of 50 percent of the 30 percent amusement tax being imposed by the city on such events.
The concession turned out to be unnecessary after the councilors were informed that North Cotabato Gov. Manny Piņol, executive director of the fight's organizing committee, sent the council a letter saying they would not be asking for a full tax exemption.
"He informed the council that he is not intending to push for a tax exemption. So there is no more grounds or basis to discuss the tax exemption," Councilor Beethoven Orcullo said.
"Had he insisted on it, the council would have given him a 50 percent tax exemption," Orcullo added.
Piņol's decision is good for the city, which will be generating a sizeable income from the title fight, added Laviņa.
"Since they have withdrawn, we can now collect the full tax," Laviņa added.
He clarified that the council is supportive of the event. If there was disagreement, it was only on how much tax exemption the city would give to organizers, he added. Sun.Star Davao
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