EDITORIAL - Pastors endangering Manny

Freddie Roach has every reason to be concerned. Manny Pacquiao is fighting the man who robbed him of his eighth world title. That fight is happening in a couple of days (Saturday in Las Vegas, Sunday in Manila). Manny has to be in tip-top shape if ever he is to regain that title and move on to other possibilities.

Freddie has no problem with the condition of Manny at this stage. What worries him is how to give Manny the rest he needs. But apparently that is not as easy as it seems. The army of pastors that has surrounded the boxer is interfering with his sleep.

According to Roach, these pastors wake Manny up at odd hours of the night to launch into a series of prayers. This is not what Manny needs at this time. Manny can prove his love for God in a variety of ways. God is not what these pastors clearly misunderstand Him to be.

The problem with Manny is that he is probably too "ma-ikogon" to tell off the pastors. And the problem with the pastors is that, having sucked up to Manny, they have become too fearful of letting go, lest other suckers take their place in the feeding frenzy off the gullible Filipino fighter.

Yes, Manny is gullible, for how else to explain his sudden shift in religion. Religion, when practiced devoutly and zealously, can get to the very core of a person. You cannot just jump over to the next faith that comes knocking unless your nose has no bone.

But while Catholics bristle at the seeming betrayal, there is really nothing they can do about the personal decision Manny made. The least they can do is to wish him well. But how can that be when a coterie of greedy pastors has descended upon Manny without the slightest regard for his other needs.

Manny cannot fight Bradley, or any other opponent for that matter, by simply praying inside the ring. He has to put up a fight in there, and not just a fight but a good fight if he expects to win. But to put up a good fight, Manny has to be in great shape.

Sad to say, prayers alone cannot do that for Manny. He has to train and condition and rest. If God helps, He helps those who help themselves. God did not specify for Manny to be awakened in the dead of night to pray. This is only on the say-so of the pastors, for no other reason than to brainwash him for his money.