Entry of 3 new commissioners amid Eleksyon 2022 preps a ‘challenge’ - Comelec spox

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez admitted on Tuesday that the changes in the roster of poll commissioners in the middle of the preparations for the May 9 polls would be a challenge.

Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas and Commissioners Rowena Guanzon and Antonio Kho Jr. are set to retire on February 2.

“The challenge really is the learning curve of the incoming commissioners. The commissioners will be coming in hot at the very start of the campaign period almost and so they will have to catch up very quickly. So that’s ultimately the challenge in front of us to ensure that the learning curve is steep as possible,” Jimenez said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

After February 2, the en banc will be left with Commissioners Marlon Casquejo, Soccoro Inting, Aimee Ferolino, and Rey Bulay — all appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“It is very important [to appoint new commissioners immediately] because with three commissioners gone, we will end with four commissioners left and that’s just basically the quorum, which means that none of the commissioners, under that situation, can afford to be absent or can afford to do other things so medyo challenging talaga (that’s really quite challenging),” he said.

However, Jimenez assured that the effect of the impending departure of the three commissioners on the poll body's operations would be "minimal."

“As [far as the] operations is concerned, not much [effect] because these commissioners have already started basically handing off their responsibilities to other commissioners. So the disruption will be minimal in terms of operations,” Jimenez said.

He said the outgoing poll officials would continue to hear election cases “as far as they are able.”

“I think they will continue with the cases as far as they are able, but after that, there will be continuity in the divisions anyway, so the records will be simply endorsed to the incoming commissioners,” Jimenez said.

Last year, former Comelec Chairman Christian Monsod called for a “public vetting” of the appointment of poll officials.

According to Monsod, the appointment of new poll commissioners could be a “game-changer” in the upcoming polls. — VBL, GMA News