Comelec reiterates call for appointment of 'insiders' as new poll commissioners
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Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Friday reiterated his appeal for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint “insiders” amid the looming retirement of two members of the poll body.
Commissioners Socorro Inting and Marlon Casquejo are set to retire on Sunday, February 2 after completing their seven-year term. This leaves the Comelec with only five commissioners with about three months left before the 2025 May elections.
“We’re hoping the President will be kind enough to appoint immediately the replacement for the two commissioners,” said Garcia.
“Again, we’d like to express our preference for insiders to be appointed simply because we only have 101 days to go before the next elections. It will be appropriate to appoint somebody coming from the inside because they are knowledgeable already of what we're doing; knowledgeable also of the people who are already performing his duties, functions, and at the same time, knowledgeable of the issues we're facing right now,” he said.
Garcia said the new commissioners are expected to be appointed after the Congress goes on break from February 8 to June 1 for the campaign period for the upcoming midterm elections.
“Wag kayong mag-alala. We are in control of the situation and we are still in line with our goal as far as the five members of the commission is concerned,” Garcia added.
(Don’t worry. We are in control of the situation and as far as the five members of the commission is concerned, we are still in line with our goals.)
The Philippines will hold its midterm elections on May 12, 2025. The campaign period for senatorial aspirants and party-list groups will start from February 11 while the campaign period for local positions will begin on March 28, 2025. — BAP, GMA Integrated News