GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Boxer Manny Pacquiao officially filed his certificate of candidacy in absentia 1:40 p.m. yesterday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.
Pacquiao’s legal and financial adviser, Franklin Gacal Jr., signed the documents through the special power of attorney the famous boxer had executed before flying to the United States to train for his next fight.
Gacal told reporters that shortly before he entered the Comelec office, Pacquiao called him up and asked whether his COC had already been filed.
Gacal was accompanied by Pacquiao’s youngest brother Ruel, General Santos City mayoral aspirant Rosalita Nu?ez and several supporters.
Gacal led a convoy of about 20 vehicles from General Santos City, where Nu?ez and members of her slate earlier filed their COCs, to Koronadal City, 56 kilometers west of Gensan.
Pacquiao’s legal adviser claimed he was not expecting that many supporters would join the convoy, adding that “I was just amazed by the spontaneous support shown by the people.”
After Gacal finished filing Pacman’s certificate of candidacy, he called the Filipino ring idol to inform him about it.
Gacal turned on his mobile phone’s speaker to let the reporters hear what Pacquiao would say.
In their conversation, Pacquiao told Gacal to just let the people know that what he was doing was the biggest sacrifice of his life.
“Ginagawa ko ito hindi para sa sarili ko kundi para sa kanila. Hindi sila magsisisi, gagawin ko ang lahat na makakaya ko para matulungan ang mga kababayan ko sa first district (South Cotabato) (I’m doing this not for myself but for them. They won’t regret this because I will do everything to help my town mates in the first district),” Pacquiao said.
Provincial Comelec officer Lilian Radam told reporters that Pacquiao was the second congressional candidate for the South Cotabato 1st congressional district to file his certificate of candidacy.
On Wednesday, the group of incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio motored from here to Koronadal City to file her COC.
Custodio was accompanied by General Santos Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. and several political followers.
She was met by South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Fuentes and her group, who, along with Custodio, also filed their COCs.
After poring over Pacman’s certificate of candidacy, Radam said: “Everything was in order. Pacquiao now has officially filed his candidacy. We expect him to follow all the election rules and regulations.”
On Wednesday, Pacquiao’s camp pulled out all his posters and streamers featuring his commercial endorsements.
