Comelec chief stays on

MANILA, Philippines - The bad hair days seem to be over for Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes, who announced yesterday that he would no longer resign from his post.

But Brillantes, who is sporting a new hairdo, could not say if he would just see the May 13 polls through or finish his term until 2015. He intends to make a decision after the elections.

He cited advice from his family, President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay as reasons for his decision, adding that he did not want to give his enemies the pleasure of seeing him step down.

“I have two reasons for not resigning. First are my daughters and siblings. They told me I should finish the elections,” he told reporters at the Comelec.

The second reason, he said, is President Aquino: “The President had already spoken (that I should not leave at the most crucial time).”

Malacañang commended Brillantes for deciding to stay on, with only three weeks before the midterm elections.

“We certainly commend Chairman Brillantes in putting the country’s interest ahead and ensuring that he will oversee the elections this 2013,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

He said he had no idea whether President Aquino and Brillantes spoke to each other.

“We have no information if they spoke. But certainly Chairman Brillantes heard the President speak when he was interviewed by the media. Maybe he realized and considered the words spoken by the President,” Lacierda said.

Brillantes said he had also talked with Binay.

“He called to ask me not to quit. The third reasons are those who are opposed to me. They want me to resign so I will oppose them and I will stay,” Brillantes added.

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) also welcomed Brillantes’ decision to stay put as Comelec chief.

“Hay salamat (Thank goodness). I trust Chairman Brillantes,” UNA campaign manager Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said.

UNA senatorial candidate Sen. Gregorio Honasan said Brillantes’ move would ensure continuity in the poll body’s preparations.

“I think it’s good because it would prevent disruption in their work given the limited time,” he said.

Earlier, UNA candidates urged Brillantes to stay, saying it is too late to implement leadership changes in the poll body given that the election is fast approaching.

Brillantes said that even Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. had asked him to stay put.

“They just told me it won’t look good if I quit now. In the first place, only three weeks are left before the elections. I just explained that the preparations are almost over and that I’m no longer needed here,” he added.

“I could take a break. I’ll think about that. After the elections and if it is successful, which I think it would be, I could take a break. I don’t have to resign,” Brillantes maintained.

Brillantes said he even called on Comelec officials and employees “na walang bibitiw”(no one will give up), which he said is an indication that he would not abandon the commission despite his statement that he would resign following a series of setback from Supreme Court.

“During regular flag raising, I told Comelec people that no one will give up, therefore the indication is that I myself will not be resigning. I have no reason to resign really,” Brillantes told reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Brillantes and other Comelec officials met with officials of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Department of Education yesterday in Camp Crame to ensure close coordination among government agencies, which have vital roles during elections.

Brillantes explained that he blurted out the idea of resigning from the poll body out of frustration and annoyance over a string of Supreme Court (SC) decisions unfavorable to the poll body.

“I just want to clarify that I mentioned it because it was more of emotions, inis, at konting tampo,” said Brillantes, who noted his family and some very close friends made him realize the importance of the process.

The poll chief had threatened to quit last April 16 after the Comelec suffered the fourth setback from the SC, which issued a temporary restraining order stopping the poll body from implementing the new television and radio airtime limits of candidates.

Prior to this, the SC had also stopped the Comelec from enforcing its order for the Diocese of Bacolod to take down its oversized “Team Patay/Team Buhay” tarpaulin in front of the Bacolod Cathedral.

The other blows inflicted on the Comelec was when the SC had remanded to the poll body the cases of the 52 disqualified party-list groups and when high court reversed its ruling to unseat Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi of Imus, Cavite and reinstate his rival Homer Saquilayan.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace executive secretary Fr. Edu Gariguez said Brillantes is immature for not fulfilling his threat to resign from the poll body.

“He is being immature, that is blackmailing the people. If he would resign, then he should resign. He should not resort to blackmail,” Fr. Gariguez. With Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero