FG Mike Arroyo pleased with Pacquiao's KO win

He may have been unable to watch the bout but a still recovering First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo showed his pleasure over boxing champion Manny Pacquiao's knockout of Mexico’s Jorge Solis on Sunday. "'Eighth round, eighth round'," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo narrated her husband as saying, whom she said was still groggy, referring to the bout’s eighth round when Pacquiao knocked out Solis. She told reporters at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City that the First Gentleman was "very happy" when told about the victory during a visit at his hospital room Sunday afternoon. The First Gentleman, who continues to recover from critical heart surgery, was not allowed to watch the Pacquiao-Solis fight because getting excited was not good for him. "No, he couldn't watch the fight because he's not supposed to get excited, and there's no TV in the recovery room," Mrs Arroyo said. She noted that the First Gentleman was able to converse with her because he was no longer on a respirator. "For the first time we had a fairly extended conversation. We talked for 15 minutes. He's no longer on a respirator, thank God, that's why he was able to speak," she said. The President also said she called up Pacquiao on Sunday night to congratulate him for his victory. Meanwhile, Mrs Arroyo insisted that she will not take a leave of absence as suggested by Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. The President left St. Luke's again Monday morning to visit a barangay (village) in Manila. -GMANews.TV