Nietes meets Binay in hometown

IT was a gray Sunday morning in the small municipal town of Murcia, Negros Occidental where the local folk was up early for their weekly Market Day.

Sundays in this quiet but productive town is where people from neighboring towns converge to trade their harvests in what they call “Tinabo-ay.”

But the cloudy morning brightened as two major Philippine personalities met and shared thoughts and time despite their equally busy schedules.

Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay and Murcia native boxing champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes were invited by town mayor Andrew Montelibano to witness their weekly activity.

Nietes came in early to welcome the Vice President and as soon as the two shook hands, both immediately hit it off well.

Binay and Nietes together with Montelibano led hundreds walking around Murcia where they were warmly greeted by locals. The end of their walk was at the public plaza where the VP and the champ worked out circling the basketball court for more than thirty minutes.

Mayor Montelibano then treated both to a sumptuous breakfast just beside the Municipal Hall where Vice President Binay had some tips for the champion Nietes and told him he will be supporting him come Oct. 8 for Nietes’ world title challenge.

Nietes will be fighting for his second division world title going after reigning WBO light flyweight champion Ramon Garcia of Mexico in the main event of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports’ Pinoy Pride 9: WBO World Light Flyweight Championship. He will be joined in the under card by boxing sensation AJ “Bazooka” Banal and fast rising prospects from Bacolod Arthur “El Matador” Villanueva and Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo.  /PR with Correspondent Dale Rosal