CA justice named to Comelec

Court of Appeals (CA) Presiding Justice Romeo Brawner was named by President Arroyo yesterday as commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to replace Virgilio Garcillano, who is widely believed to be in hiding.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Brawner will pected to assume his new post on Sept. 17, when he turns 70 and retires from the CA.

Mrs. Arroyo announced Brawner’s appointment during the Manila Barangay Leaders’ Consultative Assembly at the San Andres sports complex in Manila.

"I’d like to give you a big scoop because you are also candidates and the Comelec is important to you," she told barangay leaders. "I have asked the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals, Justice Brawner, to be the next commissioner of the Comelec."

Brawner’s appointment is believed to be aimed at improving the credibility of the Comelec, which has been damaged by allegations that a poll official had helped rigged last year’s presidential elections.

Brawner is reportedly a classmate of Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.

Mrs. Arroyo named Garcillano to the Comelec just before the presidential elections last year despite protests from the opposition.

His confirmation was repeatedly rejected by the Commission on Appointments and Malacañang did not submit his reappointment papers last month.

Garcillano reportedly admitted that he indeed was the man who was talking with Mrs. Arroyo about her votes over the telephone, which was heard on a controversial audio recording.

Meanwhile, Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo is expected to announce in the coming days the successor of former Comelec commissioner Manuel Barcelona, whose appointment was also bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.

With Brawner’s appointment, the seven-man Comelec now has only one vacancy.

Brawner started his career in the judiciary in 1973 as a court judge in Baguio City.

He later became a judge of the regional trial court.

Before that, he was a prosecutor for 11 years.

Brawner was also a professor of law at the Baguio Colleges Foundation, from 1971 to 1995.

On Aug. 28, 1995, he was elevated to the Court of Appeals as associate justice.

Before his promotion to the CA, Brawner received the Chief Justice Jose P. Laurel Award for Judicial Excellence as Outstanding Regional Trial Court Judge.

He also obtained the Best Decision Award in Civil Law given by the Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro Memorabilia Commission in June 1995.

Brawner was born in Kiangan, Ifugao on Sept. 17, 1935.