Poll commissioner Garcia inhibits from election cases he previously handled

Newly-appointed poll commissioner George Garcia on Thursday said he notified the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that he formally inhibits from election cases he previously handled.

In an interview posted by GMA News’ Tina Panganiban-Perez on Twitter, Garcia said he already withdrew from the election cases that he handled prior to his appointment to Comelec.

These cases include those pending before the poll body and other electoral tribunals.

“Likewise, I wrote a letter, naka-address sa ating Clerk of Court na sinasabi lahat ng mga kasong ito, in-enumerate ko lahat ng mga cases na hindi ako magpa-participate,” Garcia said.

(I wrote a letter addressed to our Clerk of Court enumerating the cases that I will not participate in.)

“I will inhibit, I will not take any action on these cases,” he added. “Just to show na wala po akong vested interest dito (that I have no vested interest).”

Comelec Comm George Garcia has written the clerk of the Comelec to say he won’t take part in deliberations of all Marcos cases in the Comelec. Presdl candidate Bongbong Marcos is his former client. Garcia will also inhibit from all his cases at the Comelec. @gmanews #Eleksyon2022 pic.twitter.com/Ocv0Rt5oij

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) March 10, 2022

Garcia also told reporters that he will not participate in the deliberations of the cases of presidential candidate and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is one of his former clients.

“In fact, lahat po ng kaso ni (all the cases of) former senator Bongbong Marcos, I will likewise write a letter to the Clerk of Court stating that I will not participate in any way dito sa mga (in these) cases na to,” he said.

He assured the public that he will observe the "highest degree of professionalism" in performing his duty in the Comelec.

Garcia’s appointment to the Comelec received criticisms. Malacañang has defended the appointment of the election lawyer.

Meanwhile, Comelec asked the public to give Garcia a chance to prove his impartiality.

Garcia earlier stated that he will inhibit in all the cases that he handled.

Apart from Marcos, Garcia said other Eleksyon 2022 candidates who used to be his clients are Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Senators Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero.

Marcos is facing at least seven petitions against his presidential bid before the Comelec. Of the seven, six are currently being appealed at the Comelec en banc level.

According to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, newly-appointed commissioners may vote on cases that are pending at the en banc level.

Apart from Garcia, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Aimee Torrefranca-Neri as ad interim Comelec commissioner and Saidamen Balt Pangarungan as ad interim chairperson of the poll body.

The other Comelec commissioners are Socorro Inting, Marlon Caquejo, Aimee Ferolino, and Rey Bulay.

All of the Comelec commissioners who will be sitting in the en banc during the 2022 national and local elections are appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte.—AOL, GMA News