Boxing ring to ballot box: Pacquiao makes run for presidency official
MANILA: Newly retired boxing star Manny Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy for the Philippine presidency on Friday at the start of a weeklong registration period for candidates seeking to lead a Southeast Asian nation that has been hit hard by the pandemic and deep political conflicts.
Elections officials placed heavy restrictions to prevent the October 1-8 registration period from drawing huge crowds of political supporters and becoming hotbeds for coronavirus infections.
Aside from the presidency and vice presidency, more than 18,000 national, local and congressional posts will be contested in the elections on May 9, 2022.
About 3,000 police officers, including some patrolling in armoured police vans, were deployed around a seaside convention complex in Manila where presidential candidates were expected to register.
Aspirants can bring only up to three companions when registering their candidacies to prevent past chaotic scenes of candidates showing up with movie stars, musical bands and rowdy mobs of followers.
“We really went to great extent to make sure that the filing would be sober,” Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said.
Still, hundreds of fans and supporters in face masks and holding Pacquiao’s portrait and small Philippine flags lined the street leading to the heavily secured elections registration centre by Manila Bay to cheer his convoy.
Many expect the race to succeed controversial President Rodrigo Duterte to be crowded and politically hostile.
Pacquiao, former national police chief Panfilo Lacson and Manila mayor Isko Moreno have declared they will seek the presidency and others are expected.