Manny Pacquiao Not Qualified in Running as Vice President in 2016 Election

Pound-for-pound boxing champ and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao has previously expressed his intention to run for the 2nd highest rank in the country this coming 2016 National Election but this ambition will not be pursued during that time because as early as now he was reminded by the COMELEC Chairman that he is still not qualified to run for Vice Presidential position.

Chairman Sixto Brillantes of Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said on Friday that Pacquiao should undergo a reality check as he is still underage for Vice President position.

"Baka naman nagbibiro lang siya. He can’t run for either Vice President or President by 2016," the COMELEC Chairman said.

The above statement of Brillantes was expressed when he heard in an interview of Pacquiao and the latter said: "Come 2016 I am going to run (for) Vice President... No more boxing at that time."

To clear the issue, Brillantes refer to provisions in the 1987 Constitution under Section 2 of Article VII stating that a candidate must at least be 40 years old on election day before he or she can run for Vice President.

"No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election."

On May 2016 National Election, Manny Pacquaio will only be 37 years of age because he was born on December 17, 1978.

The age requirement is the only factor that hinders Pacquiao to run for the VP post.

Instead for the Vice Presidential post, Brillantes said that, Pacquiao can run for senatorial position because the said position has a minimum age requirement of 35.