Poll watchdog bares list of possible replacements for Comelec officials

MANILA, Philippines - The poll watchdog Consortium on Electoral Reforms (CER) has come up with a list of possible replacements for outgoing Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Jose Melo and Commissioners Nicodemo Ferrer and Gregorio Larrazabal.

CER executive director Ramon Casiple revealed they came up with the list of possible replacements following consultations among their 49 member-groups.

He said the list will be submitted to President Aquino next week.

“We are now preparing a letter (for the President). We feel that these people are best for the job,” Casiple said.

Among the possible replacements that CER is eyeing for Melo include Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and Carlos Medina of the lawyers’ group Legal Network for Electoral Reforms.

Melo’s resignation takes effect in Jan. 30 and whoever replaces him will continue his unfinished term until 2015.

As replacements for Ferrer and Larrazabal, CER will be recommending Medina, Comelec-Law Department director Ferdinand Rafanan, Chito Gascon of the National Institute for Policy Studies and Liberal Party director general Louie de Guia, also from the lawyers’ group Libertas.

Ferrer and Larrazabal are set to retire on Feb. 2 and those who will replace them will have fresh terms of seven years.

Casiple said they are eyeing two other nominees for commissioners but withheld their names.

“We still have to talk with them about this so I’d rather not name them for the meantime,” he said.

Casiple said the nominees have gone through the selection process of CER member-groups.

“It goes without saying that we go for integrity. All of them are lawyers but it is not a must as one of the other nominees (we are eyeing) is not a lawyer,” he said.

Casiple stressed the nominees are also knowledgeable in information technology and possess good management capabilities since the elections are now automated.

Asked for comments about reports that retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing, Supreme Court Associate Justice Eduardo Nachura and election lawyer Sixto Brillantes are also being eyed as Melo’s successor, Casiple said there might be some questions on their “particular circumstances.”

Casiple said Quisumbing does not have a background on election laws while Nachura is a politician, being a former congressman.

Brillantes, on the other hand, has been lawyering for partisan candidates, Casiple said.

“If it’s not the Comelec chairmanship, I think they all will do. But with their particular circumstances, there might be some issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, election machine provider Smartmatic International Corp. said they are willing to extend the option of the Comelec to buy the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines that was used in the May 2010 elections.

Melo said Smartmatic had “made a commitment to us that they are extending” the option of the poll body to purchase the machines up to March.

“I think from a business angle it would be more expensive for them if they ship it (machines) out and then return it here again (should we decide to buy them),” Melo said.

The Comelec should have decided last December whether to buy the PCOS machines to be used for the 2013 midterm elections.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento earlier explained the poll body would act only upon the recommendation of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee and Comelec Advisory Council under Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law.

“We cannot decide on this alone,” he added.

Smartmatic had been contracted by the Comelec for P7.2 billion to supply some 82,200 PCOS machines used in last year’s local and national polls.