‘I firmly imagine that if president-elect Marcos would give a lot weight to the successes of the earlier election… I believe I stand an excellent probability of being reappointed,’ says former Comelec chairman Pangarungan
MANILA, Philippines – Former Fee on Elections (Comelec) chairman Saidamen Pangarungan embraced the concept of potential reappointment by president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and promised to ship on combating electoral fraud in future polls if given the prospect.
In his first sit-down interview since turning into elections chief in March and stepping down solely two months later, Pangarungan stated he would settle for if Marcos provides him the Comelec chairmanship.
“I firmly imagine that if president-elect Marcos would give a lot weight to the successes of the earlier election, which had the very best voter turnout, and which was very peaceable, essentially the most credible, and had the quickest proclamation, I believe I stand an excellent probability of being reappointed,” Pangarungan stated in a Rappler Speak episode that aired on Tuesday, June 14.
“I intend to work arduous to stomp out electoral fraud, disinformation and vote-buying. I have already got plans of motion within the occasion I’m reappointed. Additionally, I at all times work to the advantage of my workers,” he added.
Bypassed
Pangarungan and his Comelec batch mates – now-former commissioners George Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri – left the ballot physique in early June after the Fee on Appointments (CA) bypassed their affirmation bids.
The three, who have been appointed to the Comelec in March by outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, weren’t given an opportunity to make their case to the CA as a result of lack of quorum.
Pangarungan stated that in a closed-door assembly after the final CA session of the 18th Congress, Senate Majority Chief Juan Miguel Zubiri reiterated that it was the need of incoming Marcos cupboard officers to present the president-elect the ability to make his personal picks to the Comelec, in addition to the Fee on Audit and Civil Service Fee.
Did he suppose that was truthful?
“In the event you have a look at the supply of the Structure, Article 6 Part 1, it gives very clearly that the three constitutional commissions shall be unbiased, and never beholden to anybody, together with the appointing energy,” he famous when requested. “[Zubiri] emphasised to me we weren’t rejected by the CA, however solely bypassed. We stand the prospect to be reappointed.”
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The purpose that Pangarungan made was just like Pimentel’s over the last CA listening to.
“Who appoints them shouldn’t be an enormous problem so long as the {qualifications} of independence, integrity, and competence are current within the nominee or appointee,” Pimentel had stated.
Second probability
If given one other probability to serve within the Comelec, Pangarungan stated he would foyer for stiffer penalties on election offenses.
“Proper now, election offenses are punishable by one to 6 years. If we are able to enhance that to 6 years to 12 years, that can be heavy,” he defined. “Quantity two, penalize disinformation. These are the issues we have to legislate.”
“If we are able to rating some prosecution and conviction for 5 to 10 individuals, that may ship a chilling impact to the voters to not promote their vote. If we are able to add perpetual disqualification [as punishment to] candidates caught vote-buying, they are going to be scared,” he added.
Pangarungan entered the ballot physique with two months left earlier than the 2022 polls, when most election preparations have been already made last by his Comelec en banc predecessors.
He stated that as a result of he got here in late, he ran out of time to strengthen the crackdown on the “endemic” observe of vote-buying.
‘Good thing about the doubt’
Marcos’ victory raises fears that he may repeat the issues that his dictator father did, like supposedly tampering with the elections in the course of the Philippines’ martial legislation period.
However Pangarungan, who began his political profession as an opposition candidate in the course of the earlier Marcos years, stated these issues are “presumptuous.”
The bypassed ballot chief expressed confidence that Marcos will defend the sanctity of the poll and proper of suffrage.
“We now have to present the advantage of the doubt to the incoming president,” Pangarungan stated. “We can not choose the brand new president from what occurred a number of years in the past.”
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will assume workplace on June 30. – MR
