MANILA — Age will be the biggest hindrance in Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao’s plan to become the next vice president of the country.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes on Friday said the boxing’s pound-for-pound king is too young to be qualified to run for vice president in 2016.
“He is not qualified (to run for vice president) since he is not yet 40 years old by the 2016 national elections,” the poll body chief said.
Under Article VII, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, candidates for president and vice president must be at least 40 years of age on the day of the election.
In a recent radio interview, the 32-year-old Pacquiao revealed his plan to run for vice president in the 2016 national polls. He also mentioned his plan to seek the governorship post in his province in 2013.
Brillantes said Pacquiao is legally eligible to run for governor in the next midterm polls since the minimum age requirement for the post is 23.
“With regard the gubernatorial post, he can very much run for it,” the poll chief said.
The Comelec chief also hinted that Pacquiao can run for senator in 2016 since the post’s age requirement is 35.
Section 39 of the Local Government Code states “candidates for the position of governor, vice governor or member of the sangguniang panlalawigan (provincial board), or mayor, vice mayor or member of the sangguniang panlungsod (city council) of highly urbanized cities must be at least 23 years of age on election day.”
