ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday thumbed down the proposal for President Marcos Jr. to appoint someone from the political opposition as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In an interview, Garcia rejected the call of veteran poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal for Marcos to designate an individual recommended by the opposition to replace one of the two new commissioners who recently retired.
“If an appointee will come from a particular group or party, then the Commission can no longer be impartial if that would be one of the requirements,” said Garcia.
The statement comes a day after Macalintal urged Marcos to appoint a new commissioner that will come from the opposition.
Macalintal said such a personality is vital to ensure that the Comelec remains “independent and impartial” despite majority being appointees of the Marcos administration.
Garcia, however, said being a Marcos appointee does not automatically mean that the Comelec en banc would not be impartial.
“I, myself, was appointed by the present administration. But I believe I am able to prove my impartiality in all instances,” said Garcia.
If one is to push for an impartial appointee, the poll chief said designating a Comelec “insider” would be the best guarantee.
“There are many qualified individuals here at Comelec. And they have already proven their impartiality since, if you come from the Comelec, you are expected to be impartial,” said Garcia.
Comelec Commissioners Socorro Inting and Marlon Casquejo retired last Sunday after completing their seven-year terms.
Their retirement left Garcia, as well as Commissioners Rey Bulay, Aimee Ferolino, Ernesto Maceda, and Nelson Celis as members of the Comelec en banc.
Garcia said they are hoping that Marcos will make the appointment after Congress goes on a break to allow the new commissioners to immediately assume their posts.
“If the President appoints now, Congress is still in session. Therefore, it is a regular appointment and the appointee cannot immediately assume the post,” he explained.
“If the President appoints next week, for example, that will be an ad interim appointment already. That means the appointee can immediately assume the post. Hopefully, that is what will happen,” added Garcia.
Congress is set to go on break from February 8 to June 1 for the May 2025 midterm elections.