Military, Police Vigilant As Personnel Watch Pacquiao-Mosley Bout

Each time the Pacman fights, soldiers and police personnel get absorbed in the watching live telecast of the match. Tomorrow's Pacquiao-Mosley bout shall be no exeption, even amid general apprehension of possible reprisal attacks from Bin Laden's sympathizers in the country.

The AFP leadership allows its 10,000 personnel to watch the boxing match in various venues within Metro Manila--Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Army headquarters in Taguig, Navy headquarters in Manila and the Villamor Airbase in Pasay.

AFP public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.however, gave assurance that the military will remain vigilant against possible terror attacks during the duration of the bout.

“We’re having this free live viewing but we will maintain our vigilance. I’m sure there will be similar events like this in different field units. We’re asking troops to ensure that security measures are undertaken during the fight,” Col. Burgos elaborated.

Burgos said they will not declare a ceasefire with communists tomorrow but notes that the number of violent incidents usually decline every time Pacquiao has a bout.

“Cases in the past show that there is very low crime rate, there is less monitored aggression or untoward incident when there is live coverage of the fight of Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

Burgos said they have enhanced their intelligence operations to prevent the New People’s Army and terrorists from mounting attacks during the duration of the bout.

“Even if our troops are watching the (boxing match), we will make sure that we will maintain our security measures,” he said.

Venues withing military installations are open to all AFP military and civilian personnel, retirees, and their dependents.

AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Oban is expected to join the military personnel who will watch the boxing match in Camp Aguinaldo.

The AFP chief said it supports Pacquiao’s fight against poverty, which is one of the root causes of insurgency.

The Filipino boxer has said that he will use yellow gloves during his bout with Mosley to symbolize his own crusade against poverty. He said his biggest fight is not in the boxing ring but in eradicating poverty in the Philippines.

“What makes his fight more relevant to the people is not about him winning another championship belt, but because his fight is a symbol of our long battle against poverty,” Gen. Oban said in a statement.

“His fight implies that there is no greater victory than winning over poverty that breeds insurgency,” he added.

Police personnel shall watch the bout in Camp Crame.

As in Pacman's previous fights, the Philippine Police expects ‘zero crime’ in Metro Manila and the rest of the country. PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr expresses this optimistic forecast, noting that even criminals take a time-out each time the Filipino boxer takes on his opponent.

The PNP recorded zero crimes and the streets are traffic-free, especially in Metro Manila, in Pacquiao’s previous matches.

Cruz notes that Filipinos so love to watch their countryman and the world's best boxer that all routine activities ground to a halt to allow themselves the joy of watching Pacquiao slug it out with every opponent.

As early as Friday, the PNP has already mapped out plans to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the situation.

PNP chief Raul Bacalzo said there will be live telecast of the Pacquiao-Mosley fight on Sunday at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. The supposedly pay-per view broadcast will be free of charge but it will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Bacalzo said the free viewing will be sponsored by the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, which the PNP chief chairs.

Cruz said PNP personnel will be deployed to secure the venue and assist anyone who wants to watch the fight live.

“His previous fight were all blockbusters and this one would be no exemption,” said Cruz.

Pacquiao will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight Belt against Mosley, a former three-division world champion at the said weight class.

The match will be held at the MGM Grandstand in Las Vegas, Nevada and will be the Filipino boxing champion’s 20th boxing bout in the US.

Pacquiao, an eight-division boxing champion, is also an Army reservist with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant.

His fight will come almost a week after Osama bin Laden, leader of international terror group al-Qaeda, was killed by US troops in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Security officers have given assurance that they are prepared for any retaliatory attacks by bin Laden’s supporters. (philstar.com)