Hometown hero returns to GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao made a triumphant return to his hometown and was warmly welcomed here by thousands of fans led by Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. yesterday.

Minutes after the plane touched down at the city’s airport, Pacquiao’s entourage made up of family members and close friends, was mobbed by the townsfolks very much in festive mood a week after the Filipino slugger’s three-round demolition of Mexican legend Erik Morales at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

"Welcome home Manny," said Acharon who failed to attend the "Grand Finale" showdown since he was recuperating from a throat operation.

The boxing champ was also greeted by a group of Indonesian police officials, led by Gen. F.X. Sunarno, who were scheduled to attend a four-day training on transnational crime cooperation, including a campaign against terrorism, between the two countries.

As the motorcade inched its way on its designated route, thousands of fans and supporters chanted "Manny, Manny, Manny" from the streets up to the jampacked crowd at the Oval Plaza gym.

From the airport, the motorcade proceeded to the city’s international fishport where Pacquiao bought some tuna to be made into sashimi, the delicacy he said he missed during the training and runup to the final chapter of the Pacquiao-Morales trilogy.

The caravan later passed by to Barangays Tambler and Labangal, proceeded to the city’s downtown district and ended at the Oval Plaza covered court, where a short thanksgiving program and a brief press conference were held.

A group of fishing tycoons from South Cotabato Purseiners Association (Socopa) hosted a luncheon meeting while a victory party for Pacquiao was held at Jam’s Garden in San Isidro. – John Paul Jubelag