Paksiw in hot water

Manny Pacquiao’s look-alike Johnny Dagami, popularly known as Manny Paksiw, is begging for a chance to say sorry to the Filipino boxing icon.

A remorseful Paksiw has admitted he tried to fool Pacquiao into giving him some money by making up a story that his father had died in the province.

Pacquiao didn’t fall for the sob story. Paksiw said Pacquiao instructed his staff to check on his father in Biliran and got back a report that he was alive.

At first, Paksiw tried to cover his tracks by insisting his brother sent him a text confirming their father’s death and even offered to show the text to Pacquiao. Paksiw claimed he didn’t bother to check if his brother was telling the truth.

A Pacquiao insider confirmed the foiled ruse.

“Manny offered to pay for Paksiw’s plane ticket to go to the province and attend the funeral,” the insider said. “But Paksiw hedged, asking instead for cash because he didn’t want to fly. That made Manny think twice.”

Paksiw later tried to apologize to Pacquiao and confess his guilt but never found an opening.

“Manny got angry and I don’t blame him,” said Paksiw who worked as the six-time world champion’s double in the movie “Anak Ng Kumander.” “I didn’t say a word. I respect him too much. I hope he gives me another chance. If I see him again, I’ll ask for forgiveness. I’ll say sorry.”

Even as Pacquiao was sore, the champion still slipped P2,500 in Paksiw’s pocket when they saw each other the day the ring hero arrived in Manila from the US last May 8.

A few days ago, Paksiw showed up to act as Pacquiao’s double in a commercial shoot but was told to go home before even coming close to the fighter.

“I really don’t know what happened,” said Paksiw. “I was taken in as his double but when I came for the shooting, I was ordered to leave. I tried to approach Manny and say sorry for what I did but I couldn’t approach him because I was prevented by several people.”

Paksiw, 36, said he has been in demand for personal appearances and stage shows since he was unveiled in media as “the other Pacquiao.” He drew a lot of attention from fans at ringside during the recent “Flash and the Furious” double championship card at the Araneta Coliseum and was a guest at the live showing of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight, also at the Big Dome.

No doubt, Paksiw owes the resurgence of his showbiz career to Pacquiao but trying to fool the icon was surely no gesture of gratitude – it was a stab in the back. Worse, it was heartless for Paksiw to contrive his father’s “death.” Let this be a lesson to those with devious intentions of taking advantage of Pacquiao’s generosity – it doesn’t pay to be dishonest.

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The other day, a Star blogger wrote that before the Harlem Globetrotters visit to Manila last weekend, they performed here in early 2000. The blogger contradicted an earlier report that the team’s trip was its first in 27 years.

I went through voluminous files to track down the Globies’ history of visits to the country and could only confirm that they were here in 1952, 1964 and 1982. There was no mention in the files of a visit in 2000.

However, there was a Harlem breakaway group called the Ambassadors who played two games against the California Coasters at the Big Dome in August 1988. A Star blogger recalled that some of the players were interviewed in a local TV talk show by Edu Manzano to promote the tour.

Among the Ambassadors were former Trotters Hubert (Geese) Ausbie, Larry (Gator) Rivers and Tom (Cochise) Brown. Only seven players were in the Ambassadors lineup.

Several comedy basketball teams have been formed by disgruntled, greedy or misguided former Trotters to capitalize on the Globies’ popularity. Some of them were Meadowlark Lemon’s Bucketeers and Shooting Stars, “Sweet” Lou Dunbar’s Basketball Magic, the Harlem Clowns and Marques Haynes’ Harlem Wizards and Magicians.

But there was never a team quite as magical as the Trotters. When the Globies were taken over by a passionate group of Burbank investors in 2005, a fresh surge of public interest followed and Harlem hasn’t looked back since. Dunbar, in fact, is now on his 29th year with the Trotters and was appointed coach for the world tour this season.

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IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. and wife Rachel are back in San Mateo, California, after a week-long vacation in Honolulu. Donaire is set to resume training at Eddie (Schoolboy) Croft’s gym. Croft, 39, is a retired fighter who campaigned from 1991 to 2003, battling the likes of world champions Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Tom Johnson. In 1994, Croft stopped Filipino Dadoy Andujar in Las Vegas.

“I’m staying in shape,” said Donaire in an overseas phone call yesterday. “I don’t know when my next fight will be and whom I’m fighting. But I’ll be ready for whatever happens.”

Donaire was recently in Manila for just a day to meet with President Arroyo at Malacanang. He flew in with Rachel from San Francisco and conferred with the Chief Executive in a 30-minute late morning meeting on a wide range of issues.

“We were invited by the President because of my concern with children’s issues,” said Donaire. “I wore the PCSO charity caravan shirt when I entered the ring to fight (Raul) Martinez and people took notice of it. I really want to be involved in pushing the government’s program for children, looking after their rights and educational opportunities. I’m excited to join hands with government in this project.”