New Comelec, COA Commissioners get CA nod

 MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed Sheriff Abas as the new Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner and Isabel Dasalla-Agito as the commissioner of Commission on Audit (COA).

Abas was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III on April 28, 2015 while Certified Public Accountant and lawyer Aguito was appointed by Aquino on January 18, 2016. Both Abas and Agito will end their term on Feb. 2, 2022.

During the deliberation, Abas was questioned by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez regarding the change in the script of the transparency server during the May 9 polls. Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim joined Abas in the confirmation hearing to help him answer inquiries on the revision of the script.

Abas was earlier recommended by the CA committee on constitutional commission and offices for confirmation to the plenary. His confirmation was announced by another poll body commissioner Rowena Guanzon on her Twitter account.

Commissioner Sheriff Abas was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments! Hurrah! pic.twitter.com/qPchNs6CU6

— Rowena V. Guanzon (@commrguanzon) May 25, 2016

Meanwhile, Agito was appointed to replace former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza.

Abas was appointed by Aquino along with Guanzon and Comelec Chair Juan Andres “Andy” Bautista. The two poll body officials were confirmed by the CA on June 10 and September 22, 2015, respectively. —With a report from Marvin Sy