Pacquiao sees no problem in appointment of ex-Marcos lawyer to Comelec

FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he sees no problem with the appointment of George Garcia as commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as the senator believes that the lawyer will do his duty with no politics involved.

Garcia in 2016 represented Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who lodged a protest for losing the vice presidency to Leni Robredo. Currently, at least four cases against Marcos Jr.’s presidential bid are pending before the poll body.

Robredo and Marcos Jr. are Pacquiao’s rivals in this year’s presidential race.

“Si George kasi mabuting tao naman ‘yan, matinong tao ‘yan. Naging lawyer ko rin ‘yan,” Pacquiao revealed in an interview. “So dedicated sa trabaho niya at parehas siya, makakapagkatiwalaan.”

(I know that he is a good person. He also became my lawyer. He is dedicated to his job and he is trustworthy.)

The senator said he believes there will be no compromise on the part of Garcia as he was only doing his job when he represented others in their cases.

“Automatic lang ‘yun na gagampanan niya ‘yung trabaho niya as a lawyer. Ngayon iba na naman trabaho niya, as a commissioner. Protektahan naman niya ‘yung trabaho niya para hindi mahaluan ng politika,” he said.

(It is automatic that he would do his job as a lawyer. Now he has a new appointment which is as Comelec commission. He will protect his job so that it won’t be tainted with politics.)

“Naniniwala naman ako sa kanyang kakayahan. Walang problema,” Pacquiao added.

(I believe in his abilities. There is no problem.)

Before his appointment, Garcia served as a lawyer for the campaign team of presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

READ: Duterte names new Comelec chairman, commissioners

Garcia on Tuesday said he has inhibited himself in the cases of his former clients, including Marcos Jr.

Apart from Garcia, President Rodrigo Duterte has also appointed PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag as acting Cabinet Secretary.

There is tension between Pacquiao and the PDP-Laban faction that Matibag belongs to since the presidential candidate’s camp is contesting control of the party.

READ: Duterte names PDP-Laban faction exec as acting Cabinet secretary

The PDP-Laban party has been split in two — one faction headed by Pacquiao and Senator Koko Pimentel and the other headed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi where Matibag is a high-ranking official.  Duterte is backing the Cusi-led PDP-Laban wing.

The two factions are claiming control of the party.

In October 2021, the Cusi faction expelled Pacquiao from PDP-Laban. It also asked Comelec to declare the PDP-Laban group led by Pacquiao and Pimentel as illegitimate.

With Matibag’s new appointment, Pacquiao said he bears no ill-will towards the PDP-Laban official, saying it is the prerogative of Duterte to appoint people he trusts.

“Sa akin ay nandun ‘yung tiwala ng Pangulo sa kanya, so titingnan lang natin. Hindi ako namemersonal. Ang tinitingnan ko rito ‘yung mabuti o masama. Kailangan magampanan ‘yung trabaho at ‘wag gumawa ng masama,” Pacquiao said.

(For me, it means the President trusts him, so we’ll see. I am not taking things personally. What I am looking at here is what’s good or bad. They need to do their jobs and not commit any wrongdoings.)

“Sa tao itself hindi ako namemersonal. Sino ba naman ako para magtanim ng galit sa kanila. Hindi naman ako perpefto, makasalanan din ako,” the senator added.

(I am not taking things personally. Who am I to hold a grudge? I am not perfect. I am a sinner, too.)

KGA