Com. Robert Christian Lim to succeed Brillantes as acting Comelec Chairman

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. (left) presents the proposed Comelec Budget for 2015 during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday (Sept. 4, 2014) at the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. (PNA photo by Gil S. Calinga)

MANILA  — Commissioner Christian Robert Lim will be the acting chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after Chairman Sixto Brillantes retires on Feb. 2.

According to Brillantes, the commissioners have already decided to appoint Lim as acting Comelec chairman last Wednesday.

“Consensus nila is syempre ang senior commissioner, si Commissioner Christian Robert Lim,” the poll body chief said.

Brillantes said as acting chairman, Lim will have all the powers similar to a regular chairman.

“He has all the powers. He can sign everything. No different from a regular chairman,” he said.

Lim was appointed by President Aquino last April 2011.

The decision was agreed upon by Lim, together with Commissioners Al Parreno and Arthur Lim during the final regular en banc meeting attended by the retiring officials.

Commissioner Luie Guia is in Indonesia for an official business trip.

“Hindi pa sila nagbo-botohan (for a resolution). Nagconsensus pa lang sila,” the poll body chief explained.

Aside from Brillantes, Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph are also set to retire on Monday, after finishing their seven-year terms.

Meanwhile, the soon-to-retire Comelec chief said the remaining commissioners should not have different opinions in coming up with resolutions or decisions.

“Kung apat lang sila, walang tie-breaking sa apat. They have to be unanimous in all their actions. A resolution requires four votes. Walang tie breaker. Pag may isang nagdissent, yong nagdissent ang mananalo. Hindi makakalusot ang resolution kapag may dissenting opinion,” Brillantes said.

He said the decisions at the First and Second Division levels would be automatically elevated to the en banc if a majority has not been reached.

The First Division will be composed of Christian Lim and Guia while Parreno and Arthur Lim will be in the Second Division.