Political color at Pacquiao telecast

YESTERDAY’S live telecast of the Pacquiao-Marquez fight in Cebu City gave contending local parties a chance to campaign among residents ahead of next year’s elections.

A free live showing in barangay Tinago hall was sponsored by Team Rama which hung their tarpaulins all over the place.

One of Team Rama’s council candidates Bobbi Kintanar gave away calendars with his photo and shook hands with viewers.

In barangay Guadalupe, tarpaulins showing the face of south district congressional candidate and incumbent City Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa were strewn all over the barangay sports center.

The sports center is a favored venue for most Bando-Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) activities and an LCD projector screen was set up for more than 500 viewers.

On the other side of the road, a Team Rama tarpaulin hung over the entrance gate of Guadalupe Elementary School.

School personnel said Mayor Michael Rama visited the school to check on the viewers of the live telecast there.

In a phone interview, Rama confirmed that he visited the areas where his Team Rama sponsored the live telecast.

In a separate interview, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said he didn’t watch the Pacquiao-Marquez fight because he had a feeling that Pacquiao would lose.

Young said Pacquiao was “overconfident” and this led to his defeat.

Abellanosa said he considers Pacquiao as the superior fighter who lost to a lucky punch by Marquez.

The Cebu City traffic operations management (Citom) said traffic was down 85 percent from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. during the Pacquiao-Marquez fight.

The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) didn’t receive any alarm during the live telecast of the fight.

In Lapu-Lapu City, only one case of drunkenness was reported as the streets were relatively peaceful, police said.

They said traffic was down 95 percent as residents stayed at home or watched the fight live in commercial establishments at 12 noon.

Senior Supt. Patrocinio Commendador, Cebu provincial police chief, said they didn’t receive any reports of violence or crime during that period. Correspondents Tweeny M. Malinao, Jhunnex Napallacan, Norman V. Mendoza and Joy Cherry Quito