Friday, July 04, 2008
Palace defends appointment of Tagle, Leonida to Comelec (9:42 p.m.)
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has her own criteria in appointing new Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Leonardo Leonida, said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
“That’s the prerogative of the President, it’s not a popularity contest,” Ermita said.
Ermita said the selection process is “not a matter of who is better known or well-known or not known.” “The guy who gets appointed does not have to have some reputation before,” he said.
He said Tagle and Leonida, who both served the judiciary, have passed the question of competence and integrity despite being relatively unknown.
Normally, Ermita said the contenders just submit their curriculum vitae to the search committee which chose seven out of the 70 applicants.
Such selection process, Ermita said, is similar to the ones undertaken by the Board of Generals and the Judicial Bar Council which accept recommendations.
He, however, said that in the case of the Comelec, the Supreme Court and other appointments, it is the President who has the final say. (WV/Sunnex) |
