Manila, Philippines – The Commissioner of the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is flying to Las Vegas today to personally collect taxes on Manny Pacquiao’s earnings from the latter’s latest championship fight. Pacquiao on Saturday regained the WBO welterweight title from American Timothy Bradley. Pacquiao, who won by a unanimous decision, is expected to pocket some $20 Million in prize money, in addition to an unspecified percentage of receipts from Pay Per View’s cable coverage of the event.
In recent months, Commissioner Kim Henares has been after Pacquiao and other high-profile celebrities in what many believe is her personal crusade to prevent her tax agency from bankruptcy. She believes her policy of going after the “big guns” will salvage the BIR from total collapse.
In a statement made to reporters at the Departure VIP Lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Henares said she wanted to witness first hand how much the boxing promoter will give to Pacquiao as his prize money. She plans to demand immediate payment of taxes from Pacquiao while she is in Las Vegas.
Henares admitted that her trip to Las Vegas is funded by taxpayer money but insisted that the expense is well worth the tax that will be collected from Pacquiao.
Las Vegas, Nevada – Manny Pacquiao won a 12-round unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley on Saturday to avenge his controversial 2012 loss to the previously unbeaten American. But that was not the big news.
Moments after losing the WBO welterweight crown to the Filipino boxer and congressman, Bradley accused Pacquiao’s mom Dionisia, popularly known as Mommy D, of voodooism. Bradley claims that Mommy D cast some witchcraft on him, causing him to be disoriented in the last few rounds of the title fight at the MGM arena in Las Vegas.Mommy D was caught on camera, clutching a rosary and a tiny missalette, uttering unintelligible words while pointing at the American boxer.
It is believed that witchcraft is still practiced in parts of the Philippines and there still exist some occasional witches, locally known as mangkukulam.
The Pacquiao camp, however, simply dismissed Bradley’s accusation as “sour grapes.”
Kim Jong-un casts his ballot. (Photo: AFP Getty Images)
Pyongyang, North Korea – Kim Jong-Un has been re-elected president of North Korea in a landslide victory that shocked even the young leader himself. After the (s)election in which only ‘yes’ votes were counted, Kim was reaffirmed as First Chairman of the powerful National Defence Commission by the country’s new rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People’s Assembly. The state-controlled Korean Central News Agency described the election as ‘the great jubilee in the nation’s history’ and told how parliament cheered as the result was announced.
Dennis Rodman
Kim, in his acceptance speech, admitted he did not expect a 100% vote, especially after having executed his politically-powerful uncle last year and successfully disposed of 11 high-ranking government officials in the days just before the elections. He, however, attributed his victory to his much-publicized hangout with former American basketball star Dennis Rodman. The flamboyant and controversial player has visited Kim in Pyongyang twice in the last 12 months. The 29-year-old Korean leader is a die-hard basketball fan.
Sources close to Kim said that he has offered Rodman the position of foreign minister and concurrent North Korean ambassador to the United Nations. Kim said he is very impressed not only at Rodman’s basketball skills but his expertise in international diplomacy. Rodman is reportedly seriously considering Kim’s offer.
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