MOVE over Manny Pacquiao. The Philippines may have a new boxing hero—Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III who has just acceded to a boxing challenge by Davao City acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.
Win or lose, it will be a feat for the country’s top policeman, being the first four-star general to get into the ring against his most vocal critic and detractor.
In a talk with reporters at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Torre said the timing was right for Duterte’s challenge, saying
he was looking forward to a “12-round charity match” to raise funds needed to help the people displaced by bad weather over the past days.
“It will be a good one and it will raise enough funds so many of our people will be given help” he said, adding that there could even be sponsors for each round of the bout that may be jestingly called the “fight of the century.”
In an interview aired by Radio Philippines, Torre said he doesn’t mind if he gets hurt a little bit.
“If it hurts, that’s a little. It’s just that. It’s probably like we have no practice. Or maybe if he has, it’s also okay,” he said.
For his part, Torre said he could do some sparring sessions at the PNP gym to somehow get in shape for the match.
According to him, it does not really matter if the son of former President Rodrigo Duterte was serious or not with the challenge, but the fight could be put to “better use” if it pushed through.
“If that’s what he wants, it’s easy to give,” Torre said, adding that the face-off could be held at 9 a.m. Sunday.
“I’ll ask Araneta (Coliseum) to set up a boxing ring. Hopefully, they will oblige,” he said. “If not, we would look for what gym [Duterte] wanted.”
Duterte’s dare stemmed from his social media post where he described Torre as “a coward” hiding behind his rank and uniform.
“Kasi matapang ka lang naman you have the position. Pero kung suntukan tayo alam kong makaya kita.
“Kasi matapang ka lang naman you have the position (You are just brave because you have the (government position,”” Duterte said in the video.
“Pero kung suntukan tayo alam kong makaya kita (But if we come to a fistfight, I know I can beat you.). But then you’re a coward,” Duterte added.
Torre led the arrest of former president Duterte last March, making him the arch enemy of the Davao City-based Duterte clan.
