Ka Leody: Duterte ignored transparency, inclusiveness on new Comelec appointees

Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte disregarded the calls for transparency and inclusiveness for appointing the new Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson and commissioners.

The labor leader made the remark following Malacañang’s announcement that Duterte has appointed Saidamen Balt Pangarungan as Comelec ad interim chairperson and George Erwin Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri as ad interim Comelec commissioners.

“Binalewala ni Duterte ang panawagan para sa transparency at inclusiveness sa pagpili ng pupuno sa mga bakanteng  pwesto sa Commission on Elections. Sa pagkakatalaga nila Pangarungan, Neri at Garcia sa Comelec, ang buong Comelec en banc ay appointees na niya,” De Guzman said in a statement.

[Duterte ignored the call for transparency and inclusiveness in choosing who will fill the vacant positions in the Comlec. With the appointment of Pangarungan, Neri, and Garcia to the Comelec, the entire Comelec en banc has become his appointees.]

Despite this, he emphasized that he expects the poll body to remain true to its mandate as the independent and lone administrator of the upcoming May 9 national and local elections.

De Guzman also said he hopes the new appointees would pave the way for a fair decision on the remaining petition to disqualify former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential race.

“Sa pagkumpleto ng mga kasapi ng Commission en banc, inaasahan din natin ang mabilis at makaturangang desisyon sa mga kaso ng disqualification at kanselasyon ng kandidatura laban sa anak ng diktador,” he added.

[With the completion of the members of the Commission en banc, we also expect a speedy and fair decision on the cases of disqualification and cancellation of candidacy against the dictator’s son.]

Six out of seven petitions against Marcos’ candidacy had already been junked by the Comelec divisions.

Only the disqualification case filed by Pudno Nga Ilokano remains pending before the Comelec.

Meanwhile, Garcia is an election lawyer whose former clients include Marcos and another presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, among others.

Malacañang has since defended the appointment of Garcia, saying it was the prerogative of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Every president has his or her appointees, at dumaan sa proseso (It went through a process). And the President now has a list of people that he can choose to appoint, and in this case, napasama po ang pangalan ni Commissioner (the Commissioner's name was included)," acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said at a Palace press briefing. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA News