By: Ellen Tordesillas

(The author is an Antiqueña journalist based in Metro Manila)

AFTER THE Pacquiao-Bradley fight that stunned the boxing world, especially Filipinos, Abigail Valte, deputy spokesperson of President Aquino, struck again.

She issued her own statement: “Together, let us pray for Manny’s immediate recovery and return to form. During your next fights, and during the challenges that will undoubtedly come your way in the future, you can certainly count on us to stand by you. Manny is still our one and only People’s Champ; and we are proud of him.”

As a number of journalists remarked, “Feeling.”

What do we care about Valte’s views on anything. We would be interested on the President’s reaction. She is not even the spokesman (who would have the right to issue his own statement).

As deputy presidential spokesman, Valte is supposed to release or read the President’s statement. The public is not interested on her thoughts or feeling about matters of national concern.

Aquino arrived yesterday from the United States and United Kingdom, so I suppose he still has to shake off his jet lag. That would explain his lack of reaction to an event that is of interest to Filipinos not only here but all over the world.

As what happened on the conviction of Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona when Valte beat him by a day in issuing a statement on such an important happening, we expect a statement from him later.

By this time, we should just get used to the arrangement that today’s Malacañang has adopted given that we have a deputy spokesperson who is so “atat- na- atat” in imposing her views on matters of national concern to the public while the President takes his own sweet time, composing his thoughts or approving the statement prepared for him.

The downside to that for Malacañang is that journalists who are conscious of protocol would relegate the statement of the Palace down in the story if there’s a statement from other ranking officials.

That’s what ABS-CBN online did. They first quoted Vice President Jejomar Binay saying, “Manny fought hard and has shown he has the true heart of a champion. He remains a source of inspiration for the Filipino people.” They just added Valte’s statement at the end.

***

I’m not a boxing fan but I enjoy reading about sports.

Comments in social media show how Filipinos coped with the stunning outcome of the yesterday’s fight.

Lawyer Romel Bagares remarked: “Parang hindi na kayo nasanay sa sindikato sa Vegas. Pinatalo talaga ang laban para may rematch; at mas maraming pera para sa mga promoters. Mananalo si Pacquaio sa rematch at pagkatapos niyan si Mayweather na. Akala niyo sa wrestling lang scripted ang lahat.”

Bagares has another intriguing comment: “Pustahan tayo si Chavit pumusta kay Bradley.” (http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2012/06/10/valte-feeling-presidential/)