Brillantes tweets apology to Lacson

MANILA -- The chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) apologized Wednesday to Senator Panfilo Lacson over the poll chief's absence at the Senate investigation on the delisting of certain party-list groups.

"I have high respect for the good Senator Lacson and I never had the slightest intention to snub the Senate hearing," Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said on his official Twitter account, @ChairBrillantes.

On Tuesday, Lacson called Brillantes "arrogant" for saying that the Senate has no business in the poll body's decisions over the disqualification of several party-list groups seeking accreditation for next year's midterm elections.

Brillantes said two of the six election commissioners went to the University of the Philippines (UP) to attend the signing of a memorandum of agreement on voter's registration and education.

Four others, including Brillantes, attended the regular en banc session to discuss "a pressing automation-related matter."

Commissioner Elias Yusoph, on the other hand, is on leave for a trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"I have also informed in advance Senator Koko (Aquilino Pimentel III), the committee chairman, that I cannot attend and explained to him my reasons and (in) deference to the committee, we sent our representatives to the hearing to answer questions that may be proffered by its members," Brillantes said in another tweet.

Pimentel chairs the Senate committee on electoral reforms and people's participation, which called for an investigation on the disqualification of several party-list groups.

Brillantes had sent lawyers Gwin Calibuyot, Shemidah Cadiz, and Erwin Villarin of the Law Department to represent the poll body in the hearing. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)