Saturday, January 26, 2008 Arroyo appoints new poll chief, 2 commissioners: aide
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already chosen her three new appointees to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), including a chairman vice resigned election chief Benjamin Abalos Sr., said Presidential Management Staff director general Cerge Remonde.
Remonde, however, declined to name the new appointees, which include a chairman and two commissioners pending an official announcement from Malacañang next month.
"We already have, but we will leave it the President to finally make the announcement," he said.
Asked if any of the appointees include a former justice, Remonde declined to comment but assured that whoever would be appointed would be "acceptable to most sectors."
He said all the candidates were screened thoroughly and a special search committee had even been created by Arroyo just to fill up the vacancies.
The search committee is chaired by lawyer Bernabe Abes and includes businessman and National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) chairman Jose Concepcion Jr., columnist Carmen Pedrosa, former finance secretary Vicente Jayme and labor leader Democrito Mendoza. The panel already submitted its recommendation.
Remonde said an announcement would be made "from the vicinity" of February which is when the term of Abalos would expire. Aside from Abalaos's post, the positions of Commissioners Resurreccion Borra and Florentino Tuason would also expire on the same day. (JMR/Sunnex)
