Sultanate mulls royal title for Pacquiao

KORONADAL CITY — The royal council of elders of the century-old Sultanate of Talik is seriously considering the idea of conferring a "royal title" on boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

The sultanate covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos.

Pacquiao, his older brother Bobby, who won his recent fight with Mexican boxer Oscar Villa in Los Angeles, California, and former boxing champion Rolando Navarette all hail from General Satos.

Sultan Datu Nasser Sambuto Pendatun said the sultanate’s council of elders is thinking of what appropriate royal title it could give to Pacquiao, who was conferred the first Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" by President Arroyo the other day.

Mrs. Arroyo cited Pacquiao for his achievements in international boxing that brought "courage, pride and unity to the Filipino people."

"Pacquiao deserves to be royally conferred because of what he has done to the country. There are specific royal honors for those persons who have successfully and extraordinarily achieved something with courage to excel for the sake of national pride," Pendatun told The STAR in a cellular phone interview.