Duterte reappoints Abas as Comelec chairman

FILE: Commission on Elections (Comelec). (Photo by Elmer B. Domingo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has again nominated Sheriff Namimbayan Abas as chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Abas was first appointed on Nov. 22, 2017 to replace resigned Comelec chairman Andres Bautista but the Commission on Appointments (CA) bypassed his nomination along with that of Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Agnes Devanadera.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea explained that Abas’ appointment was “unacted upon by CA” before Congress went on Christmas break last December.

Since Abas was bypassed, President Duterte has to issue new appointment for Abas.

If finally confirmed by the CA, Abas will continue the unused term of Baustista until Feb. 2, 2022.

Bautista resigned in October last year amid allegations that he amassed ill-gotten wealth.

Abas, a law graduate of Ateneo de Davao University, was Comelec commissioner prior to his nomination as Bautista’s replacement.

Meanwhile, President Duterte also appointed Anselmo Simeon Patron Pinili as Board of Directors member of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Pinili will continue the unexpired term until June 30 this year of Jose Jorge Elizalde Corpuz who resigned as PCSO chairman for health reasons.

Duterte also signed the appointments of Bernie Ferrer Cruz as undersecretary of Department of Agrarian Reform; Ireno Almodiel Bacolod and Josefino Gamboa Cataluna as undersecretaries of Office of the President; Randy Hamli Halasan and Normal Brillantes Baloro as commissioners of Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; and, Rachel Anne Sibugan Herrera as commissioner of Climate Change Commission.

Malacanang also released on Wednesday the appointments of 19 judges of the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

They are RTC judges Ismael Macasaet of Batangas City, Noel Lindog(Lipa City), Raquel Aspiras-Sanchez (Tagaytay City), Adeliza Magno-Gingoyon (Imus City), Flordeliz Cabanlit-Fargas (Trece Martires City), Suwerte Ofrecio-Gonzales (Sta. Cruz, Laguna), Myla Villavicencio-Olan (San Pablo City), Virgilio Gesmundo (Calamba City), Eugene Ricardo Parrone (Boac, Marinduque), Catherine Marino-Monsod (Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro), Cefelene Goco (Calapan City), Rosalie Ang Lui (Naujan, Or. Mindoro), Arlene Bayuga Guillen (Puerto Princessa), Emmanuel Artazo (Taytay, Palawan), Aristotle Reyes (Lucena City), Patricia Angeles Cataquiz Fidel (Sariaya, Quezon), Anna Zita Abuda-Caballegan (Antipolo City), Jennifer Santos-De Lumen (Cainta, Rizal) and Donna Borda Pascual (Romblon, Romblon).