Enrile: No to Pacquiao as peace negotiator, yes as bodyguard

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday rejected the idea of getting Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao as a peace negotiator, saying the boxing superstar would probably be better off serving as a bodyguard. "I can trust him to gain a good reputation for the country in the field of boxing (but) I cannot entrust the interest of the country to him. Maybe I can entrust myself to him as a bodyguard," Enrile told reporters in an interview on Wednesday. He issued the statement after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said they will be recommending the boxing champion as a negotiator in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). Enrile explained that it is not enough that Pacquiao won a seat in the House of Representatives and that he is being idolized by millions of people. "I dont think the MILF will surrender (because he is famous)," he said. He added that maybe Pacquiao can serve as a "bridge" between the government and the rebel groups but that he definitely won't suffice as a peace negotiator. "The people who must be in the panel are people who are technically qualified to evaluate the total area of this national concern. Hindi naman niya maiintindihan kung ano yung puno't-dulo nun. Mahirap yun (He won't understand the roots of the problem. It's very difficult)," he said. People's champ During Wednesday's Senate session, the chamber adopted resolutions 271, 272, 274, and 276 commending Pacquiao for winning the WBC Super Welterweight crown against Mexican Antonio Margarito on Sunday (Manila time). Manny Pacquiao or Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao is an eight-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win 10 world titles in eight different weight divisions. The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) has named him "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s. He was rated as the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world by several sporting news and boxing websites, such as The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports and About.com. He is the first active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines. - VVP, GMANews.TV