Don’t name presidential lawyers to Comelec, Aquino urged

MANILA, Philippines – Appointing high-profile election lawyers to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will compromise the credibility of the poll body, said election observers. Damaso Magbual of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said a conflict-of-interest situation would arise from the appointment of either Romulo Macalintal or Sixto Brillantes Jr. to the post that is soon to be vacated by Comelec chairman Jose Melo. They are not just lawyers, according to Magbual. They are high-profile veterans who have been part of presidential campaigns. Macalintal had served as legal counsel of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not only when she ran for president but when she defended her office against accusations she manipulated the 2004 election results in her favor. [See: A job for the veterans] Brillantes, on the other hand, was the lead election lawyer of former President Joseph Estrada. More significantly, Brillantes was part of the legal team of President Aquino when the latter ran for president in May 2010. [See: Aquino appeals Comelec ruling on Acosta] The President has interviewed both since they are among those being considered to replace Melo. Remove doubts Former Muntinlupa representative Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy" Biazon, a member of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), said he would rather see the President appoint people who don’t have close ties with any politician. “The objective is to remove any suspicion. What we must have is a Comelec that cannot be questioned," Biazon said. Another election watchdog, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), has kept a distance from the issue. PPCRV’s Henrietta de Villa says she did not want to preempt the President by commenting. “He’s the one making the choice, so, these things that are put on notice by the public, I’m sure he will consider them when he finally makes his choice," she says. Palace sources say Brillantes has the support of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Francis Escudero, and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, all associated with the “Samar" faction in government. On Wednesday, Sen. Serge Osmeña told Senate reporters that Macalintal is the nominee of the LP, or the so-called ‘Balay’ faction in the administration. Election watchdogs are pushing for the appointment of Carlos Medina Jr. of LENTE, a group of volunteer lawyers that’s pushing for electoral reforms. [See: HR lawyer leads nominees for Comelec post] Medina is known to be independent. He was named by President Aquino to the Truth Commission, which was tasked to investigate anomalies under the Arroyo government. Ramon Casiple of the Consortium on Electoral Reforms (CER) said that while being high-profile election lawyers may prove to be a “handicap," this doesn’t disqualify them from the job. Expertise Brillantes and Macalintal already “know both sides of the fence," Casiple said, adding this is an advantage. It’s important to know their vision for the poll body, he added. Analyst Prospero De Vera, III, who helped in the campaign of defeated presidential candidate Manuel Villar Jr., said Macalintal and Brillantes should not be judged based on their clients, but on their track record and competence. Prof. Edmund Tayao of the University of Sto. Tomas looks at it from the perspective of managing a bureaucracy. He favors the appointment of either. “We could expect a chair who knows what he’s doing and that’s good for Comelec." Tayao doesn’t buy the argument that the previous cases handled by Brillantes and Macalintal make them unsuitable for the Comelec. He said the public should learn to distinguish the personal from the political. Besides, Tayao says, the two lawyers have reputations and careers to protect. Melo is retiring end of January. Two other Comelec commissioners, Nicodemo Ferrer and Gregorio Larrazabal, are also retiring in February. The Comelec’s next challenge is the 2013 senatorial and local elections. Brillantes and Macalintal have had senatorial and local bets in their clients’ roster. (Newsbreak)