Pacquiao-Mayweather
is never, never

I could have told Manny Pacquiao what would happen. Late last week he announced that he was willing to agree to all the conditions being imposed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. just so they can make their fans happy and meet each other in the ring. Remember that, first, Mayweather had demanded that Pacquiao undergo the various tests he wanted because he had been accusing the Pacman of using enhancers for his fights.

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Then, when Manny indicated that he was willing to do that, Mayweather again said that he should get the lion’s share of the purse, at least 55-45. Manny would not give in, pointing out that he was a great pay-per-view drawer and their shares should be equal. That was excuse Number Two for Mayweather, who then said, he would not fight on those terms. Then, lately, there have again been strident calls for the two of them to engage, and what does MW (Mayweather) say this time?

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Pacquiao has announced publicly that, okay, he will let him get the 55-45 cut, okay nalang, and he will go through all the kinds of testing that the American had demanded just so they can arrange the date. And what do you know? If you think MW would run out of excuses, you would be wrong. This time, he claims, petulantly, that he will not allow himself to be dictated to by Pacquiao! The guy surely knows all the different ways of saying No. Which people who can read, can also translate as “I am afraid”.

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I forgot where I read it, but an article a few days ago in a national daily said that MW had hinted that he can’t afford to fight and risk a loss to Pacquiao because it will be the end of the road for him. He said Pacquiao can go back to his job as congressmen, or any office he may seek, and has endorsements, show business ventures and other concerns, while his only claim to fame is boxing. So it’s about time for all those hopeful fans to forget that the grand fight will ever take place.

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I was happy to read the news that charges have at last been filed against the officers and members of the Leo Leonum Fraternitas whose initiation rites had caused the cruel death of law student Marc Andre Marcos. The report said that 32 members of the frat are implicated in the charges of violation of the anti-hazing law. Is that all? I thought they would be charged for murder or, at least, homicide. What about their school, San Beda? Is it imposing sanctions on its students who have made their school notorious for deadly initiations?

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A news report from the Agence France Press should give death row convicts an idea on how to avoid getting executed. The Ohio State Prison has an inmate who has been due to die via lethal injection for a long time, but when he was finally scheduled for execution, the State found out it could not be done because it would be violating the law if it did. Why? Because Ronald Post, 53, was so fat – weighing 400 lbs. – that the usual dosage of the killing substance would not work on him.

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The state anaesthesiologist said it would take about 16 hours for the drug to kill him, and it would also be a very slow and torturous death. That would be against the law, even our country has sanctions against “cruel and inhuman punishments” for felons. So Mr. Post may continue to spend more years in prison, and will probably not go on a diet even if his doctors tell him to do so. I wonder – can’t they bring him to a firing squad, instead?

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Calling Police Chief Ricardo de la Paz! Some motorists and pedestrians have called attention to the practice of jeepney drivers of not putting on their headlights while driving within the city at night. This, I was told, is rampant in the whole of Lacson Street, as well as Araneta Street, the two busiest areas of the city. But it does not matter if they are in smaller streets, what is important is that accidents may happen because pedestrians and other drivers cannot see them coming. I was told there are no cops looking out for such violators. Let’s not wait for more fatal accidents on our streets, Chief. Please do something. Thank you.*

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