CA confirms Comelec commissioner, new COA chair

The Commission on Appointments has confirmed the appointment of Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.

In a tweet, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez announced that Guanzon's ad interim appointment was confirmed by the CA on Wednesday.

The CA on Wednesday also confirmed the appointments of COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo, who replaced former chair Grace Pulido-Tan, as well as the promotion of 6th Infantry Division head Maj. Gen. Eduardo Pangilinan and 49 other military officials.

.@COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon's appointment has been confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. pic.twitter.com/5fp1QDd5Gi

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) June 10, 2015

Ad interim appointment of COA Chair Michael Aguinaldo, Comelec Comm Rowena Guanzon confirmed by CA | via @nimfaravelo pic.twitter.com/OVg51FeqjV

— GMA News (@gmanews) June 10, 2015

Guanzon, former mayor of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental, along with Sheriff Abas, were appointed to fill up the vacancies caused by the retirement of poll commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph.

She previously served as commissioner of the Commission on Audit, and was among the aspirants for the Supreme Court seat vacated by Associate Justice Roberto Abad in 2014.

United Nationalist Alliance interim president and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco recently alleged that Guanzon had links to the ruling Liberal Party particularly Senate President Franklin Drilon, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the LP's presumptive presidential bet.

“Maraming beses na nagtangka ang LP na maglagay ng mga bata nila sa mga key government agencies, lalo na sa Comelec, kaya’t they pushed hard for different people to be appointed,” Tiangco said in a press statement.

Drilon has admitted having ties to Guanzon but vouched for the independence of newly appointed Comelec commissioner.

“She has her own mind, at ako ay may tiwala na she can and will be independent as a commissioner in the Comelec (Commission on Elections),” he said in a recent radio interview.

Drilon admitted that he knew Guanzon from way back but added it didn't mean the new commissioner would be beholden to her.

“Hindi ko itinatanggi na kilala ko si Commissioner Guanzon, siya po ay dati kong kasamahan sa ACCRA Law. Yan po ay magaling," Drilon said, referring to Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala, and Cruz law office where he was a managing partner before joining the government.

"Pero hindi ibig sabihin, ay susunod iyan sa aming sasabihin,” he added.

Guanzon also served as a consultant on women's rights to the Senate under Drilon. She is also a member of the University of the Philippines' Delta Lambda Sigma Sorority, the sister sorority of the Sigma Rho Fraternity.

Drilon is a member of the said frat.

Promotion ni M/Gen Edmundo Pangilinan & 49 military officials approved by Comm on Appointments. | via @nimfaravelo pic.twitter.com/K84ccSi9mP

— GMA News (@gmanews) June 10, 2015

Aguinaldo will serve a seven-year term as her predecessor COA chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan held the post for only three years. Pulido served the unfinished term of her Reynaldo Villar, who resigned from the post.

Pangilinan also got the nod of CA after failing to do so the first time he faced the commission.

In March 18, 2015 hearing, the CA deferred the military official’s confirmation after Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano questioned his participation in the Mamasapano incident. -Rose-An Jessica Dioquino and Amita Legaspi/NB, GMA News