No politics in appointment, says new poll commissioner

October 15, 2009 19:29:00
Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines—Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, who was sworn into office Thursday, dismissed suspicions that his appointment was a political accommodation ahead of the 2010 elections.

Larrazabal, who was a Comelec regional director before his appointment, pledged to help the poll body conduct clean and honest elections next year.

While his term may only be less than two years, Larrazabal said he intends to work hard to make the national and presidential elections a success.

The term of Larrazabal, who took over the seat of the late Commissioner Romeo Brawner, ends on February 2011.

The newest and the youngest commissioner at 38, Larrazabal said he would like to focus on making youth voters participate and believe in the elections.

“I’m here to give inputs, to assist the commission in ensuring that the 2010 elections will be smooth and orderly. My term might be short but what’s important is not the length of the term but the impact the elections will have for the Philippine democracy,” Larrazabal told reporters after he and another new commissioner, Elias Yusoph, took their oaths of office.

Yusoph’s term ends in 2015.

Allegations surfaced that Larrazabal was named to the poll body as a concession to Representative Martin Romualdez, a close ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Romualdez was involved in controversy recently after it came out that he had paid for the P1-million dinner for Arroyo and her party at Le Cirque, a posh New York restaurant in July.

Larrazabal said his appointment was not a political concession but that he was qualified for the post.

He pointed out that he was a career election officer, having served as provincial election supervisor in Bulacan and Camarines Sur and as regional election director in Bicol and Eastern Visayas.

“People fail to realize that before I was appointed commissioner, I was the regional election director of Region XIII. And I’m still the president of the Comelec RED Organization of the Philippines. My presence here represents all regional directors,” he said.

Larrazabal was appointed last month, while Yusoph was appointed in February. Both commissioners could only take their oaths of office while Congress is in recess.


Source: http://politics.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&article=20091015-230258