PNoy appoints two new Comelec commissioners

(Updated 7:11 p.m.) A former Justice undersecretary and an election lawyer have been appointed commissioners to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), replacing Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco, who both retired last February 2. President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday announced the appointments of former Justice Undersecretary Makabangkit Lanto and election lawyer Bernadette Sardillo in Davao where he was guest of honor at the launch and ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Agri-Turismo. Aquino said Lanto and Sardillo’s appointment papers will be sent to Congress for confirmation. “Nag-interview ako, three in particular, and on the three, I have to look for two; and the two, I have already signed. We are sending it to Congress for confirmation by the Commission on Appointments,” he said. Aquino said Lanto, who has served under the Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo administrations, "has proven his worth, I believe, during times that he performed or tried to perform his function when the higher ups were preventing him from doing what should have been done." Meanwhile, Aquino also championed Sardillo's integrity as an election lawyer. "She has, again, demonstrated her mettle in defending the rights of the citizenry in several particular election contests especially in the last electoral exercise." Lanto: I intend to reciprocate PNoy's trust In a statement, Lanto vowed to uphold the "impartiality, independence, and integrity" of the poll body, saying it is consistent with his long-standing advocacy for electoral reforms. "I am both humbled and honored by the trust and confidence bestowed on me by President Aquino when he appointed me as commissioner of the Commission on Elections on the eve of the 2013 midterm elections,” Lanto said. “I intend to reciprocate that trust with a firm commitment to join the current commissioners in upholding the impartiality, independence, and integrity of Comelec to ensure the holding of honest, fair and orderly elections in May this year,” he added. Aside from being a former Justice undersecretary, Lanto, 70, is a former ambassador, a former member of the House of Representatives, and a former Tourism undersecretary. He completed his Bachelor of Laws in the University of the Philippines in 1967. He finished his Master of Arts in the New York University in 1981 and was a Ph.D. candidate in the same school. He was a consistent government scholar under the Commission on National Integration Scholarship Grant and was a Fulbright-Hays Fellow to the New York University. In October 2004, Lanto was appointed by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as undersecretary in the Department of Justice where he served under Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales until March 2007. In October 1998, he was appointed by then-President Joseph Estrada as ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Republic of Sudan, a position he held until March 2000. In July 1996, he was appointed by then-President Fidel Ramos as Tourism undersecretary for tourism promotion and served until June 1998. Lanto also served as representative of the second district of Lanao del Norte in 1992 during the 9th Congress. He was also elected as Assemblyman and later Speaker of the Second Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Government of Central Mindanao where he began to work in 1982 up to 1987. Sardillo, a PCOS expert The curriculum vitae of Sardillo stated that she has been engaged and immersed in election law practice since 2007. “In preparation for the first automated elections, Atty. Sardillo attended various indepth seminars and briefings on the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine. Since then, she has gained an intimate knowledge of the automated elections,” it stated. It also said that her experience in the highly specialized field of election law practice has given her an intimate insight on the working of the electoral process and the needed reforms in order to realize the goal of the Comelec for the conduct of an honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible elections. Sardillo was an associate, junior associate and partner of different law firms in the past. At present, she is  a partner at Magno Sardillo Aguilar and Litonjua Law Office. She graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Law (Juris Doctor) in April 2000 and a recipient of Gold Medal- Evelio Javier Leadership Award. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2001. She also received her undergraduate degree of Bachelor in Arts, Major in Philosophy and Masters in Public Management from Ateneo in 1995 and ADMU-School of Government in 2004, respectively. Brillantes: Now we're complete In an interview with reporters, Comelec Sixto Brillantes Jr. said he was happy with the appointment of two commissioners as the Comelec will now be able to work full blast. He said he is acquainted with the two. “Masaya na ako ngayon [at] puno na kami. Now we can start working together. Okay lang pareho, makakatulong. Wine-welcome ko silang dalawa. Kilala ko naman silang dalawa,” he said. He expects Sardillo to be of help in the quasi-judicial function of the Comelec since she is an election lawyer. He, however, said that the lawyer should first drop all the cases she is currently handling. Brillantes said Lanto’s experience as a government official would also be of help to the poll body. He further said that it was the first time the Comelec has two Muslim and two female commissioners. Brillantes said Lanto and Sardillo can report to the Comelec on Monday and be introduced to the employees during the flag ceremony if they will be able to take their oath before that day. The Comelec Employees’ Union, meanwhile, welcomed the appointment of Lanto and Sardillo. “These appointments are a big boost to the Commission who is now at the thick of preparations for the May 13, 2013 elections. We, however, are saddened that the President ignored our earlier call to appoint insiders to the posts,” said Mac Ramirez, Comelec EU national president in a separate statement. 'We missed that boat' National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) Secretary general Eric Alvia said the experience of Lanto and Sardillo in local politics gave them an edge in ferreting out election "tricks" used by politicians. "I think the two have experience in dealing with politicians," he said. Alvia, however, hoped the new commissioners would cut their ties from politicians to prevent conflicts of interest. He also lamented that the appointees were not IT experts, who would have been of great help in managing the automated elections. "We missed that boat. That's also one concern. Sayang. But we could deal with that. Pero sayang you're supposed to appoint someone who is an IT as well as a management expert," Alvia said. Chairperson Henrietta De Villa of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting likewise congratulated the two, but chose not to "pre-judge" the new commissioners as she does not know them personally. De Villa added though that the commissioner should "be symbols of impartiality, independence, and integrity in all their works for the Comelec." — with Patricia Denise Chiu, Kimberly Jane Tan and Marc Jayson Cayabyab/DVM/KBK/RSJ, GMA News