COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 13, 2012) – Binatikos ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines ang panakit sa isang sports photographer ng mga assistant trainer at adviser ni Congressman Manny Pacquiao sa Las Vegas.
Nagalit umano ang kampo ni Pacquiao kay Al Bello matapos nitong makunan ng larawan si Pacquiao at ang assistant trainer nitong si Buboy Fernandez matapos na mapabagsak ni Mexican pride Juan Manuel Marquez ang Pinoy boxer sa kanilang laban.
Hindi pa umano nasiyahan si Buboy ay hinabol pa nito ang photographer upang gulpihin sa harap ng maraming tao. Kasama ni Buboy si Michael Koncz na umano’y sumapak naman kay Bello.
Pinagbawalan rin ni Freddie Roach, ang trainer ni Pacquiao, ang photographer na kumuha ng litrato sa hindi pa mabatid na kadahilanan. Humingi ng paumanhin si Roach sa photographer sa pagbabawal nito sa kanyang kumuha ng larawan ni Pacquiao.
Ngunit ayon sa ilang sources ay ayaw umano ng kampo ni Pacquiao na kumalat ang larawan nito na nakahandusay at tulog sa pagkakasapak sa kanya ni Marquez.
Nakunan ng larawan ng ibang photographers ang naturang atake kay Bello at nailathala naman agad ito sa buong mundo.
“It is clear that Bello was merely performing his obligations as a photojournalist and, besides, had every right to take pictures of the fallen Pacquiao. Koncz and Fernandez had absolutely no reason to attack him and their doing so was actually in the nature of a criminal act, just as Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach had no right to order Bello to stop taking photos,” pahayag pa ng NUJP.
“Such boorish action by the members of Team Pacquiao, no matter how distraught they were by his loss, is inexcusable. We appreciate that the Nevada Athletic Commission has promised to review the incident and we hope it takes appropriate action to discipline Koncz and Fernandez. But it should not stop there. Manny Pacquiao himself should take action against these two, whose boorish and unsportsmanlike reaction to the loss can only tarnish the reputation for sportsmanship that has endeared him to millions of fans,” dagdag pa ng grupo. (Mindanao Examiner)
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