Comelec: Marcos names Maceda Jr. commissioner, Celis reappointed

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr. as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Comelec announced on Thursday.

In a statement, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the President had reappointed Commissioner Nelson Celis to the poll body.

Malacañang, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, confirmed the appointments to the Comelec.

"The Commission on Elections confirms its receipt of the appointment papers of Commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand P. Maceda, Jr. as ad interim COMELEC Commissioner, vice Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia in the latter's previous appointment as Commissioner," Laudiangco said.

"Likewise, we are in receipt of the reappointment papers of Commissioner Nelson Java Celis as ad interim COMELEC Commissioner, vice Aimee S. Torrefranca-Neri," he added.

Both Maceda and Celis will serve for a term expiring on February 2, 2029.

Since they received ad interim appointments, both commissioners can assume office pending the confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.

Maceda and Celis will take their oath before Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Monday.

With the appointment of the two commissioners, the seven-man Comelec en banc is now complete.

In August, Marcos appointed Celis, a veteran information technology expert and academician, to the Comelec but the latter has received a regular appointment which means he cannot assume office until he is confirmed by the CA.

Celis is among the Marcos appointees who have been bypassed by the CA in September.

Maceda is a constitutionalist who also taught election law, administrative law in several universities.

Before his appointment, Maceda was a lecturer at the Ateneo Law School and Master of Laws thesis professor at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

"I am humbled to be entrusted with the crucial duties and responsibilities of the Office of the Commissioner. The first principle of democracy is that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them," Maceda was quoted in Comelec's statement.

"As guardian of the sovereign will, the Commission on Elections fulfills this task by ensuring that the electoral process is free, fair, credible and honest, orderly and peaceful, informed and meaningful," he added.

Maceda and Celis paid courtesy to Garcia on Thursday afternoon. —NB, GMA News