By Wilnard Bacelonia

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero dismissed on Monday election lawyer Romulo Macalintal’s call for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to appoint a Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner recommended by the opposition, stressing that the poll body should remain non-partisan.

In a recent statement, Macalintal argued that appointing an opposition-endorsed commissioner would help restore public trust in Comelec following recent Supreme Court rulings, one of which involves issuance of temporary restraining orders on 12 disqualification cases, raising questions about the poll body’s handling of electoral disputes. 

“My understanding is that Comelec commissioners should be non-partisan and should not be recommended nor come from the ranks of either the opposition or administration,” Escudero said in a Viber message to reporters.

Instead, he pushed for selecting officials from within Comelec’s ranks.

“I would prefer the next commissioner(s) to come from the current officials of Comelec who have been non-partisan for quite a while, already know the ins and outs of elections, and are professional civil servants,” Escudero added. (PNA)