Boxing icon Pacquiao falters in bid for Congress

GENERAL SANTOS (AFP) - World super-featherweight champ Manny Pacquiao has found himself on the ropes and struggling on points against a 90-pound female opponent in his bid for a seat in the Philippine congress.

With votes from 77 percent of the election precincts counted incumbent Darlene Custodio is leading with 77,832 votes, while Pacquiao, a supporter of President Gloria Arroyo, has 45,422.

The contest for the first congressional district of South Cotabato pitted the 130-pound terror of the ring against political warrior Custodio who was backed by the powerful political machinery of her clan.

Despite his poor showing, Pacquiao's campaign manager Franklin Gacal refuses to throw in the towel, insisting "the canvassing is not over."

He also hinted that cheating may have taken place, with excess ballots found in some of the ballot boxes.

Custodio, however, is confident that Pacquiao is down for the count, telling national television that "he played on his popularity. He didn't have a platform and no one knew what he stood for."

"It doesn't mean that the people in our district don't love him. They do. They just didn't want him representing them in Congress," she said.

Pacquiao, one of the most exciting boxers of his generation, was warned by his fans not to run.

As a boxer, his every victory was celebrated by the country and even Custodio joined in the hero's welcome given to Pacquiao when he returned home after defeating previously unbeaten Mexican Jorge Solis in Texas just a month before the election.

Pacquiao spent most of his campaign time in Manila, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) northeast of General Santos.

During the campaign reports circulated that a 100-million peso (2.17 million dollar) contract to kill him had been put out on him by his political opponents. The reports, however, were denied in a country where assassinations and violence go hand-in-hand with politics.

More than 130 people were killed in pre-election and polling day violence, with 50 of them being politicians.