Retired boxer Manny Pacquiao officially enters crowded Philippine presidential race

Hundreds of fans and supporters holding Pacquiao's portrait and small Philippine flags lined the street leading to the elections registration center to cheer his convoy.

Newly retired boxing star Manny Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy for the Philippine presidency Friday as registration opened for candidates seeking to lead a Southeast Asian nation that has been hit hard by the pandemic and deep political conflicts.

Elections officials placed heavy restrictions to prevent the Oct. 1-8 registration period from drawing huge crowds of political supporters and becoming hotbeds for coronavirus infections. Aside from the presidency and vice presidency, more than 18,000 national, local and congressional posts will be contested in the elections on May 9, 2022.

Considered an Asian bastion of democracy, the Philippines has also seen electoral mayhem and violence. In 2009, gunmen deployed by the family of Maguindanao province’s then-governor massacred 58 people, including journalists, in an attack on an election convoy that shocked the world.

About 3,000 police officers, including some patrolling in armored police vans, were deployed around the seaside convention complex in Manila where presidential candidates were expected to register. The area was declared a no-fly and no-fishing zone.

Aspirants can bring only up to three companions, who were required to undergo COVID-19 swab tests, when registering their candidacies to prevent past chaotic scenes of candidates showing up with movie stars, musical bands and rowdy mobs of followers.

“We really went to great extent to make sure that the filing would be sober,” Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said.

Still, hundreds of fans and supporters in face masks and holding Pacquiao’s portrait and small Philippine flags lined the street leading to the heavily secured elections registration center by Manila Bay to cheer his convoy.

Many expect the race to succeed controversial President Rodrigo Duterte to be crowded and politically hostile. Pacquiao, former national police chief Panfilo Lacson and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have declared they will seek the presidency and others are expected.