Monico finally ‘beats’ Mayor Bing for Pacquiao’s attention

By Alex P. Vidal

“Activity in politics also produces eager competition and sharp rivalry.”—John George Nicolay

IN THOSE times when Bacolod City Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia carried Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao’s WBO belt inside the ring in Las Vegas, former Bacolod congressman and city mayor Monico “Nyuk” Puentevella stayed away from the limelight.

The two have been fierce political rivals in Bacolod City for decades.

In Las Vegas during Pacquiao’s title matches in the past 10 years, the two top Bacolod politicians avoided each other like Popeye and Bluto, both arch-rivals for the love of Olive Oyl.

But they pretended they didn’t see each other–or one of them didn’t exist—in rare occasions when it was inevitable that their path would cross either in press conferences or inside Pacquiao’s hotel room.

When it comes to intentionally not seeing each other eyeball to eyeball, the feeling was mutual. No hard feelings between the two adults.

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While Leonardia was in the ring with Pacquiao, then the world boxing champion, during the official introduction before the start of many championship fights, Puentevella was in the ringside or in the media section as a reporter for Bombo Radyo Philippines.

Leonardia was among the many Philippine politicians who closely tagged along with Pacquiao on and off the square jungle. The others were former Ilocus Sur governor Chavit Singson and Buhay Partylist Rep. Joselito “Lito” Atienza.

Because Puentevella was there as an accredited media representative and sometimes as a Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive, he couldn’t be categorized as “among the politicians in Pacquiao’s circle.”

Even before Pacquiao became the toast of Las Vegas boxing community, Puentevella, who had first served as Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, was already known to Pacquiao when the boxer-turned-politician was still a scrawny flyweight oriental and intercontinental champion.

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But in Las Vegas, where Pacquiao became a celebrity, Puentevella visited the ring superstar in his suite either in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino or in MGM Grand when Leonardia wasn’t around.

When Pinoy fans in the Philippines and other countries watched Pacquiao’s fights, they would normally see Leonardia beside Pacquiao, not Punetevella, bolstering the presumption that Leonardia “could be closer” to Pacquiao.

Puentevella couldn’t do anything to reverse this popular perception as it’s beyond his control. He was there in Pacquiao’s title bouts, after all, to file a “live” radio report direct to the Philippines, not to compete with anybody for Pacquiao’s attention.

Ditto with Leonardia, who primarily flew from Bacolod to Las Vegas to carry the WBO belt, not to outmuscle or elbow any politician for a slot in Pacquaio’s ring entourage.

In fairness to the two distinguished Negros political leaders, they didn’t attend Pacquiao’s fights abroad with the purpose of displaying their enmity toward each other or telling the world that they were at loggerheads politically.

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When Pacquiao became inactive in Las Vegas (from 2017 and 2018), Leonardia was seldom seen in Pacquiao’s entourage.

When Pacquiao unsuccessfully grabbed Yordenis Ugas’ WBA super world welterweight crown in Las Vegas on August 21, 2021, Leonardia wasn’t around; but there was Puentevella (who never climbed the ring).

It also marked the rare occasion when the number of Team Pacquiao entourage had been reduced inside the ring: no more flag bearer and belt carrier (Pacquiao was the challenger that night); no more “eyesores” (those who climbed the ring to position themselves in the back of Pacquiao even if they have no official function other than to get free exposure and publicity).

When Pacquiao was nominated by PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) for president in the May 9, 2022 election in Quezon City on September 19, 2021, Puentevella was quoted in the press as Pacquiao’s “spokesman” where he announced that the former 8-time world boxing champion was ripe for the presidency and expressed confidence of Pacquiao’s victory.

Leonardia wasn’t around anew; he hasn’t endorsed his “kumpare” for president as of this writing.

This time, it’s Puentevella’s show as he finally was able to amass a wide latitude and leverage to “beat” Leonardia for Pacquiao’s attention and companionship.

If Pacquiao will win for president and Puentevella gets a cabinet position, will he also offer a position for his former belt carrier?

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two Iloilo dailies—Ed)