Duterte defends appointment of new Comelec chief, commissioners

President Rodrigo Duterte has defended his new appointees to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) amid questions about transparency in the appointment process. 

Duterte's office announced on March 8 the appointment of Saidamen Balt Pangarungan as chairperson of the poll body, as well as George Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri as commissioners.

“He's a Maranao. He's good. He's a lawyer, at saka marami na itong dinaanan na sa gobyerno (he had many experiences in government),” Duterte said of Pangarungan in an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy aired on Saturday.

Pangarungan was the head of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos prior to his appointment to Comelec.

Garcia is a former election lawyer whose previous clients included presidential candidates Isko Moreno and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., as well as some lawmakers. 

“Ito namang si Garcia, would you believe it? He's a neutral choice para sa akin kasi ito 'yung... As a matter of fact, he has always been the lawyer of the late [former Speaker Prospero] Boy Nograles ito si Garcia,” Duterte said.

(On Garcia, would you believe it? He's a neutral choice. As a matter of fact, he has always been the lawyer of the late Boy Nograles.)

“Ever since iyan ang sa kabila eh. Kami ni Boy Nograles over the years, siya 'yung nasa kabila. Pero siya 'yung in-appoint ko. Wala akong sinabihan. Sinabi ko lang dito sa isip ko para wala kayong masabi,” he added.

(Ever since, he has been in the other group. Over the years, Boy Nograles and I have been on opposite sides. But he is the one I appointed. I did not tell anybody. I will just say what's on my mind, so you will have nothing to say against me.)

Torrefranca-Neri, on the other hand, held multiple positions in the Duterte administration, from the Department of Justice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya has asked Malacañang to release the shortlist of nominees for the Comelec posts as it expressed disappointment over the lack of public participation in the selection process.

Meanwhile, Duterte pledged that he would not allow terrorism and violence in the upcoming May 9 polls.

“I cannot guarantee you that it will be peaceful. There will be one or two or three,” he said.

“And even dito sa Mindanao. I mean, even the warring factions diyan sa Cotabato. Sinabi ko talaga sa kanila I will not allow terrorism sa election. I will not allow violence. Kampanya lang kayo,” he added.

(And even here in Mindanao, I mean, even the warring factions in Cotabato. I actually told them I would not allow terrorism in the election. I will not allow violence. Focus on the campaign.)

Duterte previously said that he would not support any presidential candidate unless he saw what he called "a compelling reason" to do so in the coming months. — VBL, GMA News