Three Comelec vacancies to be filled up in coming months

President Arroyo will be appointing three more officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the coming months and Malacañang is allaying fears it will be having more control over the poll body.

Commissioners Rufino Javier and Mehol Sadain are expected to retire after completing their seven-year terms while Commissioner Manuel Barcelona was no longer re-appointed after being bypassed by the Commission on Appointments a number of times.

"We can assure the people that an active search and screening process is taking place in full consideration of the need for men and women of probity, professionalism, and excellence in their field," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

Bunye said former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. was primarily in charge of the process, being the presidential adviser on electoral reforms.

The opposition is asking the President to consider appointing its own nominees to ensure fairness in the decisions of the Comelec especially when the people’s initiative mode to amend the Constitution is being handled by the Comelec.

The Comelec has been hounded by controversies, including the alleged connivance between its former commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and Mrs. Arroyo to ensure her million-vote advantage in the May 2004 presidential elections.

Aside from the "Hello, Garci" scandal, Comelec officials were also accused of entering into an illegal and fraudulent contract for the modernization of the 2004 polls.

The opposition allege the Comelec could not be trusted to oversee Charter change through people’s initiative given its bad record.

Other groups are asking the President to appoint career officials or lawyers not identified with politicians or political parties to the three top positions in the Comelec.

Garcillano and Barcelona were the last-minute appointees of Mrs. Arroyo to the Comelec before the 2004 elections which generated a lot of controversy.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said he was a personal "victim" of Garcillano in his vote-shaving and -padding scheme as a candidate.

Private organizations say it is important to fill up the three positions as the Comelec gears up for three major political exercises next year, requiring the full complement of the seven-man poll body.

The three political exercises lined up for 2007 are the regular elections for local and national officials in May, the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in October, and the possible plebiscite on Charter change.

The groups said the appointment of career officials or lawyers not affiliated with any major political party or politicians would ensure the impartial, objective and credible performance of the election commissioners on crucial issues confronting it.

They said that previously, the appointment of an election commissioner was always met with skepticism because the appointee was known to be strong with a big political party or identified with prominent political figures.

They added career officials would not only be familiar with election matters but also dedicated to their duties as they were normally capable of resisting pressures because of lack of political affiliations.