Ex-Iligan judge named Comelec commissioner

Amid calls for transparency in the selection process to fill up vacant posts at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on Thursday announced the appointment of a former trial court judge Moslemen Macarambon as Comelec commissioner. In a report, dzBB radio said Bunye confirmed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s appointment of Macarambon to the poll body. Macarambon served as presiding judge of the Iligan City regional trial court. His appointment was said to be recommended by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr, the report said. As early as last January, Akbayan party list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel was quoted as saying her group received information Macarambon would be one of those appointed to the Comelec. At the time, she said their information was that the Palace was deciding who between Macarambon or Maguindanao Provincial Prosecutor Salick Panda for the post vacated by retired Commissioner Mehol Sadain. Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan assailed Malacañang's "utter lack of transparency" in its selection process for Comelec posts. Pangilinan – who has long been calling on Malacañang to open up the selection process to the public – said that while Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita referred to a search committee on Comelec appointees, the composition of the supposed committee remains unknown. With Macarambon’s appointment, Comelec just needs to fill up the chairmanship post left by Benjamin Abalos. Two more Comelec posts are expected to be vacated by February 2008, when Commissioners Resurreccion Borra and Florentino Tuason retire. - GMANews.TV