Comelec sees appointment of new commissioner soon

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is hoping Malacañang will appoint a new commissioner in the next few weeks.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said they expect President Aquino to address the vacancy in the commission soon.

Brillantes noted that since Congress is in recess, the President can make an “interim appointment” and allow another commissioner to immediately assume post.

“We expect an appointment soon because Congress is already on recess,” Brillantes explained.

The Constitution allows an “ad interim” appointment or an appointment made while Congress is not in session and that the appointee can immediately assume office.

The law also allows a “regular” appointment or the appointment made while Congress is in session whereby the nominee cannot assume and must wait for confirmation of the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Congress went on recess last June 6 and resumes session on July 23.

Aquino did not re-appoint Commissioner Augusto Lagman last April, thus he was automatically removed from his post.

Brillantes said he has an idea who might be named as Lagman’s replacement, but he refused to elaborate.

The Comelec chief had earlier requested for a female and/or a lawyer and an Information Technology (IT) expert for Lagman’s replacement.

Aside from Brillantes, the other members of the commission are Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Armando Velasco, Lucenito Tagle, Elias Yusoph, and Christian Robert Lim.