Politics Taking Its Toll on Manny Pacquiao's Boxing Career

Politics is now taking its toll on the amazing and colorful boxing career of Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, who is a sitting member of the House of Representatives in the Philippines.

Pacquiao earlier announced his plans to run for Governor of his province in the 2013 national elections. His political backers are also eyeing a Senate seat for Pacquiao in 2016 as a prelude to a 2022 run for the presidency of his country. 

Two major issues have surfaced in the last couple of days that could make or break the political career of the eight-division world boxing champion.

One of the issues that has occupied prominence in the leading print as well as broadcast media in the Philippines, which was picked up by the international media, was Pacquiao's alleged "harboring" of a suspected illegal car and arms dealer in his home in the southern Philippines.

Pacquiao has denied having "sheltered" a suspected criminal and to prove his point, his lawyer has filed a P75 million lawsuit against the journalist who wrote the article about the incident.

The other politically charged issue is the non-compliance of certain rules and regulations of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Pacquiao has not been charged with tax evasion. The specific charge was for contempt for failing to present his tax record to the BIR.

So much speculation and innuendos have spread like wildfires in the Internet about these recent disturbing news about the Filipino boxing star. 

Seemingly, the allegations are politically motivated as no tax evasion charges have been filed against Pacquiao. On his alleged ties with a suspected illegal car dealer, no charges have been filed by police authorities.

It is therefore evident that the allegations could be politically motivated since future political foes are starting to prepare their own strategies in the coming elections.

In the meantime, the allegations are taking their toll on Pacquiao's boxing career while he prepares for his bout with the unbeaten and current WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.

How he handles these political assaults by future political foes will be watched closely by the electorate as he seeks another mandate from his constituents.

His decision to file a P75 million libel suit against a journalist, who seems to be just reporting a news event, has already earned the ire of some media practitioners for his apparent lack of understanding on how news is reported.

But Pacquiao has the right to sue if he believes the article has portrayed him as a protector of criminal elements or his rights have been violated.

So far the media has appealed to Pacquiao to withdraw the libel case filed against the journalist and even encouraged him to help in decriminalizing the existing libel law.