Pacquiao brod Ruel not yet out of Congress race – poll official

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao’s younger brother, Ruel, is not automatically disqualified from seeking Manny’s congressional post, according to the Sarangani provincial election officer.

The younger Pacquiao, who is chair of Barangay Apopong in General Santos City, filed his certificate of candidacy for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani, the post currently being held by the boxing icon – on Monday.

General Santos City is not part of Sarangani today but both areas were under the then undivided province of South Cotabato.

Michael Mamukid, Sarangani election supervisor, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that contrary to reports, Ruel’s COC was accepted by his office as it was filed on Monday.

“Our job is ministerial,” Mamukid said.

However, he admitted that upon checking the document, “we found out that he is officially registered as a resident of Barangay Apopong in Gensan (General Santos).” Even then, the provincial election office had to accept it.

Mamukid also admitted that Ruel had filed a transfer of residency from General Santos City to Alabel in September.

But the application for the transfer of residency would be decided on, on October 19 yet, he added.

“We explained to them that his record as Gensan resident remains active until after the Election Registration Board of Alabel decides on his application for transfer of residency,” Mamukid said.

The Alabel ERB is composed of the municipal election registrar, the local civil registrar and a representative from the Department of Education.

Mamukid said the ERB would decide on all voter application filed in the past weeks – including Ruel’s application for transfer of residency – on October 19.

“We told his lawyer that pending the decision of the ERB, Ruel Pacquiao remains to be a registered voter of Gensan,” he said.

Mamukid said if all the supporting documents submitted by Ruel were found to be in order, “there is no reason for the ERB to reject his application.”

But he maintained that as of Tuesday, “he is still not a resident of Sarangani because he is still a barangay captain in Gensan.”

As of Tuesday, no other candidate aside from Ruel has filed a COC for the post that Representative Pacquiao was vacating for his Senate run.

“But we cannot discount the possibility that a party would file a disqualification case against him. It’s the right of every citizen to file opposition to any candidacy,” Mamukid said.

He said any disqualification case would be ruled on the merits of reason.

General Santos City Councilor Franklin Gacal Jr., a known supporter of the Pacquiaos, said Ruel was qualified to run in Sarangani by virtue of his domicile in Alabel.

However, other legal minds disagreed, saying that Ruel’s continued acts as Apopong village chair would contradict the argument on domicile.

Ruel won as village chair of Apopong during the village elections held in October 2010, about five months after he lost in his bid for the first congressional district of South Cotabato to Pedro Acharon Jr. SFM