SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

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aittimes.net

02 03Indonesia, Philippines vow to

tackle sea kidnappings

‘Madrigal Singers’ entertain Filipinos,

diplomatic community

MANILA: Bukod sa kinakaharap na kaso sa Senatecommittee on ethics, isa pang petisyon angkinakaharap ni Sen. Leila de Lima para siya ay map-atalsik sa Senado.

Sa inihaing kaso ni dating Metropolitan ManilaDevelopment Authority (MMDA) chairman FrancisTolentino sa Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET ),pinabubura nito ang nakuhang 1.3 milyong botoni De Lima sa nakaraang senatorial elections.

Si De Lima ay ika-12 nanalong senador sanakaraang halalan sa nakuhang 14,144,070 boto.Ang ika-13 na si Tolentino ay mayroon namangnakuhang botong 12,881,098. Si Tolentino ay inen-dorso ni Pangulong Duterte sa nakaraang halalan.

Kung papaboran ng SET ang petisyon niTolentino sa pagbura ng 1.3 milyong boto, lala-mang ito sa senadora ng 37,028, at maaaringiproklama bilang ika-12 nanalong senador.

DAVAO: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, saying hewas “not a fan” of the United States, vowed yesterday tosteer an independent course for the key Asian ally andrefrain from confronting territorial rival China.

The incendiary leader made the comments after a con-troversial first foreign trip and spectacular falling out withUS President Barack Obama, who he called a “son of awhore” (as they interpreted it). But acid-tongued Duterteon Friday said the Philippine expression “putangina”should not be taken at face value, and it was “an ordinaryexpression (used) by everyone”. “It’s son of a bitch or son ofa gun. It’s not son of a whore,” he told an audience ofFilipinos during a visit to the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

He insisted his remarks were not directed at Obamabut at the US State Department, which has raised concernsover potential human rights violations in Duterte’s anti-crime campaign which has left almost 3,000 dead in justover two months. “I got really angry about these threatsover this human rights issue. This is the fault of the crazypeople in the State Department,” he said.

“I am not a fan of the Americans... Filipinos should be

first before everybody else,” Duterte told reporters uponarrival in his hometown of Davao city yesterday.

“In our relations to the world, the Philippines will pur-sue an independent foreign policy. I repeat: ThePhilippines will pursue an independent foreign policy.”

The president’s trip to a summit in Laos was overshad-owed by his verbal tirade, which saw Obama cancel aplanned meeting. The pair met briefly later after Duterteexpressed regret.

The US, Manila’s main military ally and the Philippines’colonial ruler until 1946, has criticised Duterte’s brutalcrackdown on crime, which has claimed 3,000 lives sincehe took office in July and drawn condemnation from theUnited Nations. Obama has urged the Filipino leader toconduct his crime war “the right way” and protect humanrights, but Duterte has dismissed it as being none ofAmerica’s business.

The two also subtly differed on how to proceed after aUN-backed international tribunal in July outlawed most ofChina’s claims to the strategic South China Sea, includingareas that overlap with those of the Philippines and other

neighbours. Obama, whose government wants to ensurefreedom of navigation in the waterway, brought up thecontentious issue at the Laos forum also attended byChina. He stressed that the tribunal’s ruling was “binding”and could not be ignored by Beijing, which has rejected it.

Duterte favours a “soft landing” for the issue and saidSaturday it would be counter-productive for his militarilyweak nation, which hosts small units of US forces, to con-front China or undertake actions that could lead to armedconflict. “I assured everybody that there are only twooptions there: We go to fight, which we cannot afford atall, or talk,” he added.

On Friday during an overnight visit to Indonesia,Duterte announced China had pledged to help build drugrehabilitation centres to treat Filipino crystal meth users.

Law enforcement officials believe criminal gangs inChina, Taiwan and Hong Kong supply most of the illegaland highly addictive stimulants to the Philippines.

“Only China has offered to help us,” Duterte said Friday,according to an official transcript of a speech he gave tothe Filipino community in Jakarta.—AFP

PH gov’t defends decision on hero burial for Marcos MANILA: The Philippine Supreme Court onWednesday extended its temporary ban on the burialof late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at a heroes’ ceme-tery after a hearing at which some justices questionedwhether President Rodrigo Duterte abused his execu-tive power and violated laws by allowing the entomb-ment, which is opposed by the Marcos regime’shuman rights victims. The court gave both sides 20days to submit statements before making a ruling.An earlier court order temporarily halted the burialuntil Sept. 12 while the cases were being heard.

Solictor General Jose Calida defendedDuterte’s directive, saying it is within the presi-dent’s power and a political issue that the courtshould not rule on. He said Marcos as a formerpresident and war veteran who was not dishonor-ably discharged from the military is qualified to beburied at the military-run cemetery. Burying a dic-tator accused of massive rights violations and cor-ruption at the Heroes’ Cemetery has long been anemotional and divisive issue in the Philippines,where Marcos was ousted by a “people power”revolt in 1986. Continued on Page 2

1.3M boto ni De Lima, buburahin

Philippines’ Duterte says ‘not a fan’ of US, plots own course

Philippine leader takes thinly veiled dig at US Page 2

JAKARTA: In this handout photo taken and released by the Presidential palace , Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) speaks with PhilippinePresident Rodrigo Duterte during their bilateral meeting at the Presidential palace in Jakarta. Indonesia and the Philippines on September 9 pledgedto ensure security on the high seas after a surge of kidnappings by Islamist militants in the strife-torn southern Philippines. (See Page 2) —AFP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 2JAKARTA: Indonesia and the Philippines on Fridaypledged to ensure security on the high seas after a surgeof kidnappings by Islamist militants in the strife-tornsouthern Philippines.

At least 25 Indonesian sailors and a handful ofMalaysians have been abducted this year travelling in theSulu Sea between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Philippine Islamist extremist outfit Abu Sayyaf, notori-ous for carrying out kidnappings-for-ransom, has beenblamed for the abductions.

Those abducted are typically taken to Abu Sayyafstrongholds in the southern Philippines. Most have beenreleased, with authorities refusing to confirm whether ran-soms were paid or not, although a handful of Indonesiansare still being held. After talks with Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte in Jakarta on Friday, President JokoWidodo hailed the neighbours’ “cooperation in guarantee-ing security in the Sulu Sea.

“We hope that there will be no more security issues inthe Sulu Sea in the future, and we will conduct joint patrolsto ensure security.”

Duterte, on his first foreign bilateral trip since winningpower in May elections, said the two sides had committedto take “all necessary steps” to ensure maritime security.

“There is a lot of piracy there... it has prevented the twocountries from comfortably exchanging commerce andtrade.”

In May, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreedto launch coordinated patrols of the waters, although thecountries are still working out the details.

Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a few hundred Islamistmilitants, formed in the 1990s with seed money fromOsama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network.

Duterte also said that they would work together totackle the “menace” of illegal drugs, at a time both coun-tries claim to be fighting a war against rising narcotics use.

The Philippine leader is overseeing the large-scalekilling of drug traffickers, which has claimed almost 3,000lives, and sparked a wave of international condemnation.

Since taking power in 2014, Widodo has triggeredglobal anger by stepping up executions of convicted drugtraffickers, including foreigners. —AFP

Indonesia, Philippines vow to tackle sea kidnappings

JAKARTA : People take pictures as Indonesian President Joko Widodo (centre R) and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (C)visit Tanah Abang market in Jakarta last Friday. American investors in the Philippines on September 9 warned that PresidentRodrigo Duterte’s brutal drugs war and foul-mouthed tirades, including branding US leader Barack Obama a “son of a whore”,could hit foreign investment. —AFP

Philippine leader takes thinly veiled dig at USVIENTIANE: Philippine President RodrigoDuterte took a thinly veiled dig at the UnitedStates on Thursday, complaining that colonizerswho killed many Filipinos are now raisinghuman rights concerns with him.

President Barack Obama was among severalworld leaders who listened to Duterte’s briefspeech at the East Asia Summit in the Laotiancapital of Vientiane. Obama earlier canceled ameeting with Duterte after the Philippine leaderreferred to him in comments to reporters as a“son of a bitch” and warned him not to discussthe deaths of thousands of suspects in an anti-drug campaign.

Two Philippine Cabinet officials said Dutertedid not criticize any country or leader by namein his speech. Other diplomats who heard thespeech, however, felt he was referring to theUnited States, which colonized the Philippinesafter defeating its former ruler, Spain.

An Indonesian diplomat said Duterte held upa picture of Filipinos killed in colonial times tounderscore his point. The diplomat spoke toreporters on condition that he not be namedbecause of the sensitivity of the issue.

Philippine officials refused to releaseDuterte’s remarks, which were not included inhis prepared speech. The Department of ForeignAffairs in Manila said the president provided anexplanation of how human rights recordsshould be assessed in the context of the histori-cal record. “In the passionate intervention of

President Duterte, he underscored the need totake a long historical view of human rights,mindful of the atrocities against the ethnic peo-ple of Mindanao,” the department said in a state-ment, referring to the southern Philippineregion where American forces were involved indeadly clashes with Muslim Filipinos in the early1900s.

Duterte, who assumed the presidency in

June, has had an uneasy relationship with theU.S., his country’s longtime treaty ally. He hassaid he is charting a foreign policy that is notdependent on the U.S., and has moved toreduce tensions with China over rival territorialclaims.

The tough-talking president has also blastedU.N.-appointed human rights experts and rightswatchdogs who have expressed concerns over

the extrajudicial killings of more than 2,800 sus-pected drug dealers and users since Dutertetook office. More than 600,000 others have sur-rendered, apparently out of fear of being killed.

After the flap over Duterte’s earlier remarks,he and Obama met briefly on the sidelines ofthe Laos meetings and shook hands. OneCabinet member, Jesus Dureza, said he askedDuterte how his talk with Obama went. “It wasOK,” Dureza quoted Duterte as saying. “He toldme, ‘we can talk some more at another time.’”

The summit ended with Laos turning overthe chairmanship of the 10-nation Associationof Southeast Asian Nations to Duterte, whosecountry will host the annual diplomatic gather-ing next year. —AP

PH gov’tContinued from Page 1

He flew to Hawaii, where he lived with his wife andchildren in exile until he died in 1989. His body wasflown back to his hometown in 1993, where it has beendisplayed in a glass coffin. But his family wants hisremains transferred to the Heroes’ Cemetery.

During Wednesday’s hearing, about 200 supportersof the late dictator picketed outside the court, somecarrying a streamer that said “Bury the dead, follow thelaw.” Another group of activists opposing the burialheld up a banner that said “Marcos is no hero!” andchanted “Marcos, Hitler, Dictator, Puppet!”—AP

VIENTIANE: U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, left, glances at Philippine PresidentRodrigo Duterte, right, at the start of 11th East Asia Summit on the last day of the28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and other related summits at the NationalConvention Center Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016 in Vientiane, Laos. —AP

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 3

KUWAIT: Award winning a capella (choir)group, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, regaledKuwait ’s diplomatic community lastWednesday at the Abdulaziz Hussein Theater inSalmiya. The group visited Kuwait at therequest of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, in

cooperation with the National Council forCulture Arts and Letters-Kuwait. The Madz, asthe choir is popularly known, also offered somesongs at the Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City,visited and interacted with hundreds of Filipinorunaway housemaids at the Philippine

Embassy shelter and entertained Filipinos at aconcert held last night (Saturday) at theMovenpick Convention Center, Free TradeZone. The Philippine Madrigal Singers has justrecently won the prestigious ‘European GrandPrix for Choral Singing’ held at Arezzo, Italy last

month. The Philippine Madrigal Singers wasorganized in 1963 by National Artist ProfessorAndrea O. Veneracion. The choir is one of theworld’s most awarded having consistently wonall the top prizes in most of the world’s presti-gious choral competitions.

‘Madrigal Singers’ entertain Filipinos, diplomatic community

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 4

Happy Happy Birthday to MaximoZeus Ducabo Roque who celebrat-ed his 4th Birthday on September 9,

2016. “May every day in future be likeyour birthday be rosy as this happy day.”Greetings from Papa Zaldy, Mama Tintin,Lolo, lola, Ate Star and from classmatesfrom Al Salam Prep School.

Elliah S. Cordero will be celebrating her1st birthday at Seafoods Restaurant inSalmiyah on Monday. “May your birth-

day be filled with the warmth of Sunshine,the happiness of Smiles, the sounds ofLaughter, the feeling of Love and sharing ofgood Cheer. Happy Birthday Ayah !!! Wehope this is the beginning of your greatest,most wonderful year ever!”Greetings coming from your loving parents,Dennis and Joy, Ate Dania, Ate Star, DaddyLolo and Mommy Lola and all Titos and Titas .

Greetings

KUWAIT: T h e m u c h a w a i t e d K F B 9 t hRegular Tournament dubbed as “OfficersCup” have f inal ly concluded held in AlArabi Gym in M ansour iya that set themood of competitiveness. After weeks of

elimination on different categories thestrongest, experience players leading theevents have all of a sudden twist the fatechanged the game results as those play-ers that are the underdog bag the cham-

pionship pushing themselves to the limitsproving their skills, stamina and creativityfor the glory of becoming the CHAMPION.

The nerve racking competition said itall as excitement unfold right by the veryeyes of the expectators, supporters andfriends of each of the opponents who gotamazed of the hard smashing sound, thejaw dropping fall of the shuttlecock to thenet and of course the techniques thatbeen showcased by each of the playersthat truly enough to raise the adrenalinrush.

The victorious:AM Games

Mixed Intermediate and Novice 1Champion-Jose Mathew & Riyadh Baik1st Runner up-Medo Abood & Madhu Pillai2nd Runner up-Marlon Diculin & Joan

Diculin

Novice 2 HigherChampion-Pravin Karmegam & Eduard

Gardose1st Runner up-Majeed Mazho & Kenneth

Fajardo2nd Runner up-Claire Bobiles & Dennies

Royan

Novice 2 LowerChampion-Gowtham RG & Quentin Conyer

1st Runner up-Arthur Cotoco & ElenaBernabe

2nd Runner up-Kamil Kourani & Mae Cruz

Novice 3Champion-Daisy Valdez & Bonie

Tabaquirao1st Runner up-Mharjay Miravel & Elimar

Cabus2nd Runner up-Edgar Pascua & Edwin

Asuncion

PM Team EventChampion-Erickson Venturina, Madhu

Pillai, Erick Alayun & Gowtham RG1st Runner up-Art Venturina, Dennies

Royan, Lowela Cayme & Quentin Conyer2nd Runner up-Marlon Diculin,Brandon

Venturina,Joan Diculin & Arthur Cotoco

PM Novice 3Champion-Marilyn Agustin & Suzette

Glazener1st Runner up-Sharon Joy Barasi & Donna

Labitag2nd Runner up-Gladys Sacabin & Marecris

MacaldoCongratulations to all of the winners and

for another Experience of Innovation at KFB.For inquiry please contact Kuwait FilipinoBadminton with the Facebook page kuwaitfil-ipinobadminton.

KFB 9th regular tournament concludes

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 6

KUWAIT: The Filipino Badminton Committee (FBC) held its2nd series of Fun Games - Mix Doubles (Levels A & D andLevels B & C) competition at the American InternationalSchool (AIS), Hawally last Friday. Due to the Fun Games-Part1 success and positive results, FBC officers catered to the insis-tent demands of their members to have a sequel.

FBC Officers would like to thank all the participants andcongratulations to the following winners: Champion - Essam

Meslmani and Alma Ibno and First Runner up - AmadorCaceres Jr. and Jenny Ogalde.

Likewise, FBC in collaboration with Pro Sports are proud toannounce the upcoming FBC One-Day Tourney - “Clash of theNovices”. From the initial date of September 16, 2016, the datehas to be moved at a later date and will be announced soondue to the ongoing maintenance works of the gym.Preparations is ongoing and inviting all badminton enthusi-

asts to join which will be a truly memorable event and anassembly of some of Kuwait’s finest badminton talents.

Once again, FBC is inviting all badminton addicts to jointheir upcoming 75th tourney and every Friday in their regulartournaments from 8 am to 1 pm, FBC Singles and adults/kidsbadminton coaching/tutorial and court rental from 2 pm to 5pm. For inquiries personally come at the Kuwait DisabledSports Club in Hawally, every Friday.

FBC HELD 2ND SERIES OF FUN GAMES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 7

By Maximo Zeus Ducabo

KUWAIT: The standing of the top five teams,Asian Air Safari, LEAF, Swooping Eagles, SMDLane Masters and Fiery Dragons during thepenultimate games was not affected after thefinal el imination round of the Phil ippineBowling Association in Kuwait 118th PhilippineIndependence Team Tournament - 2016 held atCOZMO Bowling Center in Kheifan held onFriday. Mangaf Strikers snatched the sixth posi-tion from Original Pin Killers who slide to sev-enth place while All Star Strikers took the lastticket to the “Magic 8”. Unluckily, Scavengersand NUSANTARA was out from the final games.

Mangaf Strikers victory over favored SMDLane Masters 2750-2663 change their standingfrom seventh to sixth place. In the first game ofthe 3-game series, the much favored SMD LaneMasters outscored the Mangaf boys 959-864but seemed unaffected due to their protectionshield. But in the second game the highly ener-gized Mangaf Strikers won the game 887-859with just 42 points difference. In the final gamethe Strikers duplicated the victory 924-845 andfinally subdued SMD 2750-2663. Tony Zuleta(549) piloted his team to the win supported byJason Gamba (492), Ceddie Martin Faa (470),Medz Nicdao (457) and Robert Opena (416)while SMD top scorer was Ronnel Valencia(616) assisted by Rudy de Lima (525), Noe

Mahayag (515), Myra Manalo (497) and AlmaTurley (424). Despite the loss, SMD remainholding the four th position and MangafStrikers grabbed the sixth place.

Without pressure and fidgety, SwoopingEagles and LEAF played inanity games 2596-2551 due to their high standing. SwoopingEagles players were Benjie Roque (498), JessicaBalagat (465), Danny Solis (433), Alonzo Bush(420) and Angie Bush (390) while the Landscapehave Marjorie Mercado (492), Rocky Castil (480),Cris Carungay (452), Imelda Daguio (360),Blanca Sambajon (315) and Joe Presenta (144).Swooping Eagles posted six wins while theLandscapers registered seven the season’s high-est number of wins. Despite holding the highestrank, Asian Air Safari without mercy continuedits demolition job and now the victim was theOriginal Pin Killers 2774-2520. Vernie Villaruel(583) was the top scorer followed by Gani delaCruz (501), Lito Michael (494), Sonia Mathews(463) and Hermie Saliba (459). For the losingteam the bowlers were Christopher Bush (486),Norlan Balasan (478), Jun Husmillo (471), Aris deGuzman (468) and Ahmad Fadil Karam (435).

All eyes during the final week of the elimina-tion were focused on the encounter betweenthe two tail-enders Scavengers and NUSAN-TARA. Difference of 32 marks betweenScavengers and the eight placer All Star Strikersand the later playing bye, it is impossible for the

Scavengers to snatch the last seat. Both teamsplayed the easy way and scored 2861-2632 forNUSANTARA’s advantage and fourth win thisseason. Indonesian team high scorers wereAbdul Aziz Al Ali (514) and Ahmad Fahmi (505)followed by Tatang Razak (477), BenyaminHasan (335), Abel Nitikusumo (289) and BimaNitikusumo (285) while Scavengers top scorerswere Ali Ashkanani (571) and MohammadYousef (515) supported by Nouri Al Amiri (494),Nasha King (468), Basma (231) and Aji Varghese(126). The two teams who played bye were FieryDragons (561) and All Star Strikers (2652).

Meanwhile, the TOP 8 two-week team finalswill start on Friday September 16 and 23, 2016.

Team awards are as follows: Champion -KD 250.000, Team Trophy and

Individual TrophiesFirst Runner Up -KD 150.000, Team Trophy and

Individual TrophiesSecond Runner Up - KD 100.000, Team Trophy

and Individual Trophies Third Runner Up - KD 50.000, Team PlaqueFourth Runner Up - KD 50.000, Team PlaqueFifth Runner Up -KD 40.000, Team PlaqueSixth Runner Up -KD 40.000, Team PlaqueSeventh Runner Up -KD 40.000, Team PlaqueIndividual High scores:Category NameIndividual High GameName

Individual High Average

Men’s A Abdul Aziz Al Aslawi 257 FaridGabriel193.01

Men’s B Saleh Faraj247 Ferdie Saliba 183.06 Men’s C Ahmad Fahmi214 Riz Roque 164.07Ladies A Myra Manalo224 Myra Manalo 179.09Ladies B Laras Nitikusumo 213 Laras

Nitikusumo 166.04 Team High Game (Scratch) - All Star Strikers

(1010)Team High Series (Scratch + Handicap) - Asian

Air Safari (3020)

Team Weekly High Series:Week 1 -All Star Strikers - 2771 Week 6 - LEAF -

22702Week 2 - LEAF - 2787Week 7 - Swooping Eagles

- 2739Week 3 - Asian Air Safari - 2779Week 8 - Mangaf

Strikers - 2724 Week 4 - Fiery Dragons - 2764 Week 9 - Original

Pin Killers - 2742Week 5 - All Star Strikers - 2806 Week 10 -

Mangaf Strikers - 2833Week 11 - NUSANTARA - 2761Final Standing after the Elimination Round: 1.

Asian Air Safari (30465); 2. LEAF (29841); 3.Swooping Eagles (29646); 4. SMD Lane Master(29470); 5. Fiery Dragons (29355); 6. MangafStrikers (29288); 7. Original Pin Killers (29236); 8. AllStar Strikers (29190); 9. Scavengers (28851); 10.NUSANTARA (28450).

‘Magic 8’: Asian Air Safari prevails, Scavengers, Nusantara derail

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Pages 7

‘Magic 8’: Asian AirSafari prevails,

Scavengers,Nusantara derail

Manny Pacquiao puts retirement on hold, takes on VargasBEVERLY HILLS: Manny Pacquiao is deter-mined to f ight on, even without FloydMayweather across the ring or HBO in hiscorner.

Five months after the fight Pacquiaoexpected to be his finale, the Filipino senatorstood opposite unheralded welterweightchampion Jessie Vargas on Thursday anddeclared his excitement for yet anotherchapter in what’s now a sprawling pugilisticstory with a murky ending.

Pacquiao is a politician and a father withmultiple reasons to walk away, but trainerFreddie Roach believes that Pacquiao’s skillshaven’t sharply declined. Even after repeat-edly claiming he would retire into his politi-cal career following his win over TimothyBradley in April, Pacquiao can’t deny thatfighting is irresistible, both for the competi-tive rush and the fat paychecks.

“It’s a big challenge for me to prove I canstill manage serving the people and being aboxer,” Pacquiao said. “I want to give back tothe fans who supported me for all these years.”

Pacquiao showed up to a packed newsconference at the Beverly Hills Hotel, wherehe has launched all of his recent fights, witha businesslike haircut and a suit befitting amajor public figure. He used his time on thepodium to diplomatically encourage fans tobuy thousands of $50 seats for Nov. 5 at LasVegas’ Thomas and Mack Center, where hewill go after the 27-year-old Vargas’ WBOwelterweight title.

“It ’s an honor for me to challenge thechampion,” Pacquiao said. “I respect himbecause he’s the belt-holder at 147 pounds.”

Pacquiao held the same belt twice forlong stretches, but lost it in his landmarkshowdown with Mayweather last year.Mayweather appears comfortable and finan-cially healthy in retirement, while Pacquiaoopenly acknowledges he needs the moneyhe’ll make fighting Vargas.

To Roach, it’s fairly simple work - at leastsimpler than fighting dangerous rising starTerence Crawford, the other finalist for thebig-money shot at Pacquiao.

“(Vargas) is a good boxer,” Roach said. “Idon’t think he’s in Manny’s league, but we’llsee.”

Roach must move to Manila for six weeksto train Pacquiao in the breaks between hissenatorial duties. Trainers with a fraction ofRoach’s success might balk at the strangeworking conditions, but Roach’s 15-yearbond with Pacquiao remains unbreakable byany of the weirdness in Pacquiao’s uniquelife.

“I’m not exactly sure how much time I’mgoing to have with him, so I’m glad it ’sVargas instead of Crawford at this point,”Roach said. “We’ll fight Crawford down theline later, I’m sure, but I want to see exactlyhow this works. The Senate is more time-

consuming, they tell me.”Roach doesn’t expect this bout to be

Pacquiao’s last, either.“Manny still has a good future in boxing, I

think,” Roach said. “And I really want him tofight Mayweather one more time, just toshut him up. I know we can fight a betterfight. I know Manny can beat him.”

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum neverclaimed Pacquiao’s victory over Bradleywould be his final fight. After a half-centuryin promotion, Arum knows a boxer’s vowsare only as strong as their wills.

Arum’s biggest project for this bout is put-ting on the pay-per-view broadcast himself.HBO declined to show the fight, so Top Rankis producing its own telecast.

“It’s a historic day, because we’re going totake back boxing for the fighters, for the pro-moters,” Arum said. “I really believe this willlead to us forming our own boxing network.”

Pacquiao has fought 21 times in HBO pay-per-view bouts since 2003, but the networkbalked at Top Rank’s desire to stage the fightthree days before the U.S. presidential elec-tion and two weeks before Andre Ward facesSergey Kovalev on HBO pay-per-view.

Pacquiao wants to fight on Nov. 5 becauseit fits his schedule in the Senate, allowinghim to keep his promise to closely attend tohis government duties in his new job.

Vargas watched the Beverly Hills spectaclewith a bemused detachment. The matchup isan extraordinary opportunity with littledownside for the Mexican-American champi-on, but he won’t be content just to bank hisfee for playing a bit part in Pacquiao’s saga.

“He hasn’t ever fought a fighter like me,”Vargas said. “He doesn’t know what he’sgot himself into. It’s going to be a coming-out party for me, and I’m looking forwardto it.” —AP

BEVERLY HILLS: Manny Pacquiao, left, and Jessie Vargas pose during a news confer-ence in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Thursday, about their WBO welterweight title fightscheduled for Nov. 5. —AP