The Senate’s most dangerous person

By Al S. Mendoza

 
NOT only is Manny Pacquiao a newly-minted senator of the republic.

There’s more to that than meets the eye

Any angle you look at it, that’s another feather to his cap.

From a poor boy to not only a world boxing champion, he has broken all existing boxing records by becoming the first—and only one thus far—world titleholder of eight crowns in eight weight divisions.

I think the one to surpass that has yet to be born.

Even the one to equal that will come not in our lifetime.

Then, while holding those world records, he has recorded yet another world mark.

In 2010, he became the first reigning world boxing champion to win a seat in Congress.

Not content, he ran for senator in the 2016 May polls, handily winning one of the 12 slots: a first for a boxer anywhere in the world.

He has barely warmed his Senate seat when he started surprising almost everybody with his bravado/braggadocio in grilling resource persons during Senate investigations.

Although not as sharp as the seasoned senators that arrived in the Senate way ahead of him, Pacquiao had scored passing grades to the general public.

But others say Pacquiao has fast developed an air of arrogance.

He embarrassed Senate guests with: “Huwag na tayong magbolahan dito.  [Let’s not fool around here].”

And then just very recently, he pulled one stunt that stunned one and all again.

A mini Senate revolt of sorts had been attributed to him, leading to the ouster of Drilon, Hontiveros, Aquino and Pangilinan.

Pacquiao was quoted as saying, in Tagalog:  “These senators (Drilon & Co.) belonging to the Liberal Party have not been very cooperative with the Duterte administration.  They ought to be removed as committee chairmen.”

Hontiveros lost her health portfolio, Aquino education and Pangilinan Agriculture.

Drilon, the former Senate President no less, is also now no longer the Senate minority floor leader.

Their ouster was finalized at Pacquiao’s plush Forbes Park residence in Makati, with no less than Pacquiao presiding over the plot.

With that, the question now is: Has Pacquiao become a force to reckon with in the Senate?

I ask that because didn’t the papers carry screaming headlines about his “rise” to power?

If, truly, Pacquiao had masterminded the demolition of Drilon & Co., who are Yellow Army stalwarts allied with Noynoy Aquino, he could now be the most dangerous person in the Senate.

I guess it’s true:  Pacquiao will run for President in 2022.

That’ll be the day.

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