Escudero rejects call for opposition-backed Comelec commissioner

Senate of the Philippines President Francis Escudero bangs the gavel to officially open the 3rd Regular Session of the 19th Congress in Pasay City on Monday (July 22, 2024). (PNA Photo by Avito Dalan)

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency 

MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero dismissed on Monday election lawyer Romulo Macalintal’s call for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to appoint a Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner recommended by the opposition, stressing that the poll body should remain non-partisan.

In a recent statement, Macalintal argued that appointing an opposition-endorsed commissioner would help restore public trust in Comelec following recent Supreme Court rulings, one of which involves the issuance of temporary restraining orders on 12 disqualification cases, raising questions about the poll body’s handling of electoral disputes.

“My understanding is that Comelec commissioners should be non-partisan and should not be recommended nor come from the ranks of either the opposition or administration,” Escudero said in a Viber message to reporters.

Instead, he pushed for selecting officials from within Comelec’s ranks.

“I would prefer the next commissioner(s) to come from the current officials of Comelec who have been non-partisan for quite a while, already know the ins and outs of elections, and are professional civil servants,” Escudero added.

Comelec says no

The poll body is also not keen on the proposal.

“If an appointee will come from a particular group or party, then the Commission can no longer be impartial if that would be one of the requirements,” Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in an interview.

According to Macalintal, an appointee from another group is necessary in order to ensure that the poll body can remain “independent and impartial” since the majority of the present members of the Commissioners are appointees of the Marcos administration.

Garcia, however, noted that being an appointee of the President does not automatically mean that the seven-member panel of the Commission would not be impartial.

“I, myself, was appointed by the present administration. But I believe I am able to prove my impartiality in all instances,” he said.

At the same time, the Comelec chief believed that designating an “insider” or from the ranks would be a good choice.

“There are many qualified individuals here at Comelec. And they have already proven their impartiality since, if you come from the Comelec, you are expected to be impartial,” he added.

Commissioners Socorro Inting and Marlon Casquejo retired on Sunday after completing their seven-year term.

Currently, the Commission is composed of Garcia and Commissioners Rey Bulay, Aimee Ferolino, Ernesto Maceda, and Nelson Celis.