Palace defends appointment of election lawyer George Garcia to Comelec

Malacañang on Tuesday defended the appointment of election lawyer George Garcia to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), saying it was the prerogative of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Garcia represented various politicians in his private practice, including presidential hopefuls Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Isko Moreno.

The new poll commissioner had also argued for Marcos in his electoral protest against Vice President and fellow presidential candidate Leni Robredo in connection with the 2016 elections.

Asked about concerns about Garcia's appointment given that the commission has yet to resolve the disqualification case against Marcos with finality, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said, "It's presidential prerogative."

"Every president has his or her appointees, at dumaan sa proseso (It went through a process). And the President now has a list of people that he can choose to appoint, and in this case, napasama po ang pangalan ni Commissioner (the Commissioner's name was included)," he said at a Palace press briefing.

Andanar also denied that the appointment of former Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as chairperson of the Civil Service Commission was a “midnight appointment.”

“Hindi po totoo iyan. Alam ninyo po ang appointment ni CabSec Nograles or former CabSec, former spokesperson ay nakapaloob pa rin po, nasa loob pa rin po ng oras at ng panahon na pinapayagan po ng ating batas,” he said.

(That’s not true. The appointment of former CabSec and presidential spokesperson Nograles was within the period allowed in the law.)

The prohibition against appointment or hiring of new government employees as well as creation or filling up of new positions will only begin on March 25, according to Comelec Resolution 10742 issued last December. — VBL, GMA News