Pacman’s supporters tear down his posters

By Joseph Jubelag

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Political supporters of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao have started tearing down posters with his commercial endorsements around the city to comply with election rules after he was declared a candidate for the First District of South Cotabato.

Members of the People’s Champ Movement led by Pacquiao’s younger brother, Ruel, started removing the posters a day before the March 29 deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy for local positions.

“This shows that we are following the election guidelines set by the Commission on Elections,” the younger Pacquiao said, referring to regulations that limit campaign posters to designated areas.

Lawyer Franklin Gacal, Pacquiao’s legal and financial adviser, filed Pacquiao’s certificate of candidacy on Thursday at the Comelec provincial office in Koronadal City.

Pacquiao, in training in the United Sates for his April 14 bout against Mexican fighter Jorge Solis, called up Gacal on his mobile phone to know if his certificate of candidacy was in order.
Provincial election officer Lilian Radam said his documents were in order.

“Now that Pacquiao has officially filed his [certificate of candidacy], we expect him to follow all election rules and regulations,” Radam said.

“This is the biggest sacrifice of my life. I’m doing this in all sincerity to help the people in the first district of South Cotabato,” Pacquiao said on speakerphone.

In Metro Manila, officials said they were worried that the heated political rivalry in a number of cities would lead candidates to violate the poster ban.

Roberto Esquivel, chief of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s sidewalk clearing operations, said he foresaw problems in Caloocan, Pasay, Quezon City and Manila.

“I am pretty sure that illegal campaign posters, advertisements and streamers will proliferate in these places,” he told Standard Today.

He said his group would step up cleanup efforts and gather evidence against candidates defying election rules. With Rio N. Araja