MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Every time Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao fights in the ring, it goes without saying that Filipinos will get to see him and his opponent.  Live. On TV. In the Philippines.

It has been said that each time there is a Pacquiao match, the Philippines comes to a standstill. Traffic becomes unbelievably light, crime rate drops to zero, everyone is glued to television sets, and even the anti-government rebels declare an unofficial ceasefire.

Well, that’s not going to happen when Pacquiao faces Timothy Bradley on April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada —  his third match with the American welterweight champion.

It has to do with politics and Philippine law.

You see, Pacquiao, an incumbent congressman, is running for a Senate seat in the May 9, 2016 Philippine elections.  By law, candidates running for office must get equal time on television, which means that if shown on TV in the Philippines, the Pacquiao-Bradley fight will put all other Philippine Senate candidates at a disadvantage in terms of television exposure.

A commissioner of the Philippine Commission on Elections has already warned Pacquiao that if his fight is shown on TV in the Philippines, he will have to face serious consequences.

Rowena Guanzon said that Pacquiao will have to refrain from the boxing ring during his campaign for a Senate seat in the coming May 9 elections.

So, instead of dropping from the senatorial race, Pacquiao agreed that his fight will not be shown on Philippine television at all.

Pacquiao fans, however, are urging him to drop his senatorial bid instead so that they can watch his match with Bradley, live on TV, on April 9.