Abalos, Bunye confirmed by CA

A man who was cheated in a local election more than 20 years ago was unanimously confirmed yesterday by the Commission on Appointments (CA) as the new chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Newly confirmed Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos expressed his gratitude to the CA for reposing their trust and confidence in him, and added that he hoped to be worthy of their high expectations.

Also unanimously confirmed with Abalos were Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye and Comelec Commissioners Resurreccion Borra and Florentino Tuason Jr.

Opposition Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta, who chairs the Senate committee on constitutional offices, said the speedy confirmation of Abalos, Borra and Tuason proves that the political opposition can always transcend partisan politics whenever national interest dictates.

"It is now up to the Palace to convince not only Congress but the public as well that the President did right in installing Abalos, Borra and Tuason at the helm of the Comelec," Oreta said.

Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar, Palawan Rep. Vicente Sandoval and Sen. Edgardo Angara cited Abalos for bringing about harmony in the formerly divided poll body.

"Considering that Chairman Abalos was able to reconcile the feuding parties in the Comelec with strong personalities, we have no choice but support his confirmation," Del Mar said.

Sandoval said that collegiality has returned to the Comelec with the appointment of Abalos.

"There is no more Gang of Four or Gang of Three at the Comelec," he added.

"His being a victim of cheating in the 1980 local election should make Chairman Abalos more understanding of the sentiments of other victims," said Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez in endorsing the confirmation of Abalos.

Angara said that the return of harmony at the Comelec means that the poll body can now concentrate in implementing the long-delayed poll modernization.

The confirmation of Abalos actually hung in the balance because of the reservations made the other day by Sen. Renato Cayetano. As a rule, CA members defer to reservations to a colleague and do not push through with the confirmation of the object of reservations.

Abalos’ confirmation became assured after Sen. Robert Barbers talked with Cayetano and convinced the latter to withdraw his reservations. With the withdrawal, the confirmation of the appointment of Borra and Tuason was also assured.

The actual confirmation hearing of Borra and Tuason was on Oct. 15, as the committee had decided to separate their hearing from that of Abalos. Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano moved for their inclusion in yesterday’s hearing and the endorsement of their nomination after Cayetano withdrew his reservations.

Borra is a career Comelec man, while Tuason is a former Makati judge.

All roadblocks to the confirmation of Bunye, on the other hand, were cleared after he issued a clarification that he was not blaming the opposition for the disinformation campaign against the administration.

Bunye, a former journalist before the declaration of martial law in 1972, was a three-term mayor and one-term congressman of Muntinlupa.