2 more Pacquiao brothers want to ‘serve the people’

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Two more relatives of boxing lawmaker Manny Pacquiao have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the barangay (village) elections.  If they win, it would bring to six the number of the boxer’s relatives elected to various positions in South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces.

Bobby Pacquiao, the boxer’s brother, is seeking a seat in the village council of Labangal, where his wife, Lorelei, is seeking a second term as barangay chair.

Domingo Velbestre, the southpaw’s half brother, on the other hand, wants to become chair of vote-rich Barangay Calumpang.

When he entered politics a few years ago, initially failing in his bid as city mayor, Manny said he wanted to serve the people.

It was the same line adopted by his brother, Ruel, when he sought the post of village chair of Apopong during the last village elections; his wife, Jinkee, when she ran in the Sarangani vice gubernatorial race in May, and Lorelei when she joined the race for the chairmanship of Labangal village.

Like Manny, who was eventually elected Sarangani representative, Jinkee, Ruel and Lorelie were also victorious in their political bids.

Ruel, who ran but lost in the congressional race in the city in May, had initially pledged not to seek the post he had held in Apopong but later admitted he had changed his mind in the interest of service.

He filed his certificate of candidacy on Thursday.

“We wanted to expand our services to the people. In my case, I want to serve my fellow residents in Labangal,” Bobby told reporters after filing his COC.

Domingo, who is older than the boxer-lawmaker, said Pacquiao’s success in politics had inspired him to also become politician.

But on top of his agenda, he said, is service to the people.

In Davao City, the wife of Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte is contesting the chairmanship of Catalunan Grande and has formally joined the list of 5,000 candidates seeking the chairmanship of the city’s villages on Thursday.

This early, January Navares-Duterte, who filed her COC in the local poll office, is being rumored to be interested in becoming the president of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay, a position that would automatically make her member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The vice mayor also held that position when he was still Catalunan Grande village chair.

One indication of her interest, rumors said, was that she had prodded and convinced former City Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad to join the barangay elections. Trinidad was considered to still have influence over village chiefs even after her stint at the city council.

Trinidad is now pitted against Jonathan Santes, who belongs to one of the city’s formidable political clans, in the race for the chairmanship of Barangay 74-A.

Santes, commenting on Librado’s candidacy, said he was no match to the resources of the Duterte family.

“I hope our leaders and supporters would be able to withstand the avalanche of goods that I know will sway votes,” he said, adding that his desire to “truly serve” was his strongest political weapon. Aquiles Zonio and Judy Quiros, Inquirer Mindanao