Call him Manny Pacquiao, world champion.

The Filipino hero scored a third-round knock down and came up with a late assault to dethrone Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico and claim the World Boxing Council super featherweight title in Las Vegas, Nevada Saturday night (Sunday morning in the Philippines).

Close to four years after their controversial draw at the same Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Pacquiao, 29, won by the slimmest of margins, his knock down paving the way for a split decision to his favor.

Military operations against New People’s Army rebels in Negros Island yesterday grounded to a halt for seven  hours, to allow soldiers to watch the boxing rematch of Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said.

De los Reyes said the observance yesterday of the unilateral ceasefire, which started 8 a.m. and ended 3 p.m., was in compliance with the order of Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon.

Pacquiao is an Army reservist with a rank of Master Sergeant, military records show.

Thousands of Negrenses lined the streets from Talisay to Sagay in Negros Occidental yesterday morning to bid goodbye to Gov. Joseph Marañon on the final 82.9 kilometer journey of his remains to his hometown.

The crowds waved flaglets and carried streamers expressing their love for Marañon and thanking him for having served them well, Gov. Isidro Zayco said.

The remains of Marañon, 73, who passed away Thursday evening, now lie in state at the St. Joseph the Worker Church in Sagay City. He will be laid to rest at his family’s cemetery in Barangay Rizal, Sagay City, after a 9 a.m. mass today, two days before his 74th birthday..