- The ‘author’ of the #DropPacman petition is now the one being petitioned by a group of Pacman supporters
- 30-year-old Aries Dela Cruz is being given a ‘taste of his own medicine’
- The petition for him to be declared “Persona Non Grata” now has nearly 3,000 signatures as of posting
There’s an online petition which started on Saturday, February 20, 2016 — calling for Aries Dela Cruz, a Filipino-American graduate student based in the United States, to be declared Persona Non Grata to the Philippines.
Who is Aries Dela Cruz?
As per the online petition posted on ipetitions on Saturday, Aries Dela Cruz is described as “the traitor who influenced people all over the world to turn down Manny Paquiao as one of NIKE endorsers.”
Dela Cruz is the Fil-Am graduate student who reportedly “knocked out” Manny Pacquiao outside the ring by starting a #DropPacman petition at change.org which eventually led to the termination of the boxing Champ’s contract with Nike.
Amid the clamor over Pacquiao’s viral slur against same-sex marriage, the graduate student reportedly heard Manny Pacquiao’s statement against the LGBT community which prompted him to start an online petition at www.change.org — asking Nike to drop Pacman as an endorser. He also asked the supporters to boycott the popular athlete brand until they drop the boxing champ.
“Pacquiao’s expressions of homophobia and bigotry disqualifies him from being honored, endorsed and sponsored by one of the world’s largest publicly-traded and owned athletic companies, particularly one that is celebrated and well-known for their promotion of sportsmanship and excellence,” Aries Dela Cruz stated on his petition — #DropPacman – Boycott Nike Until they Drop #MannyPacquiao
The #DropPacman petition gained more than 4,000 signatures in less than 24 hours of posting and trended on popular search engines after mainstream news outlets picked up the news.
Last February 17, 2016, Nike hears out the call and dumped Pacman as an endorser.
On February 19, 2016, Dela Cruz thanked those who signed the petition via a post on change.org: “Thanks for being a part of this petition. Thanks to supporters like you, we have successfully convinced Nike to terminate their relationship with Manny Pacquiao, and we have convinced a growing list of brands like Foot Locker, and Nestle to publicly clarify that they have no plans to make deals with Congressman Pacquiao.”
Dela Cruz further expressed his conviction that Pacman deserves consequences for his actions after hurting many from the LGBT community and their families.
“I am tired of hearing Cong. Pacquiao’s apologies and ashamed that he has such an influential voice,” Aries said. “I believe apologies mean nothing without actions and consequences, and a plan for addressing how the contrite person will make things right with those he hurt.
“Nike and other sponsors of Cong. Pacquiao should know that by standing behind the congressman, they are sending a message that they can receive money from consumers who support their LGBT friends and neighbors on one hand while using their other hand to line Cong. Pacquiao’s pockets to provide him with a platform for hate,” Dela Cruz added.
However, he isn’t without adversaries as those who deemed his act traitorous filed ‘a dose of his own act’ by similarly petitioning him to be declared Persona Non Grata to the Philippines.
The petition said: “Manny gave our Country multiple honor and pride, He fights for our Flag and made known our Country to the world stage of boxing.. and just because of sharing His belief and we all know that it is the Truth, This person filled a perition to turn down Manny as an endorser of Nike. Alam naman nating lahat na sa abot ng makakaya ni Pacman.. itinutulong nya sa ating mga kababayan ang kanyang kinikita sa laban at sa endorsements. . But this Aries Dela Cruz is a Selfish traitor.”
As of posting, the petition for him to be declared “Persona Non Grata” has reached more than 2,900 signatures.
Dela Cruz shared his thoughts and reasons to the public via a TFC Balitang America video:
Post a Comment