New Comelec chair Pangarungan a decent man, says Lacson

Presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacon on Thursday said newly appointed Commission on Elections chairman Saidamen Balt Pangarungan is a decent man.

During a question and answer portion of their town hall meeting in Parañaque City, Lacson was asked about his thoughts on the commissioners who were recently appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The lawmaker recalled that Pangarungan, who served as the head of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos prior to his appointment in Comelec, has served well in the government agency.

“Kilala ko pong personal si dating governor ng Lanao, si Comelec chairman Pangarungan, dahil siya ay dating nagsilbi sa Muslim council, ‘yung national Muslim council sa Mindanao. Dati ako ang nagde-deliberate ng budget nila, maayos po siyang tao,” Lacson said.

(I know Comelec chairman Pangarungan personally because he served as a member of the national Muslim council in Mindanao. I deliberated on their budget and I know that he is a decent man.)

He added that Pangarungan, as well as the two new poll commissioners, George Erwin Garcia  and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, will be scrutinized by the Commission on Appointments.

“On a personal note, ako, ma-a-assure ko sa inyo na si Comelec chairman, mahusay po siyang tao. Siya po ay isang Muslim pero kilala ko po siya na maayos na tao,” he added.

(On a personal note, I can assure you that the new Comelec chairman is a competent person and I know him as a decent man.)

Earlier this week, Malacañang named the new Comelec officials ahead of Eleksyon 2022.

The three new poll officials will join Comelec commissioners 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 Duterte appointees. — BM, GMA News