Press Release
November 12, 2008

KIKO CALLS ON CA TO SCRUTINIZE BACKGROUND
OF COMELEC APPOINTEES

With Malacañang announcing its appointees for the COMELEC commissioner positions, Senate Majority Leader and electoral reform advocate Kiko Pangilinan today called on the Commission on Appointments to carefully scrutinize their backgrounds and encouraged the public to participate actively and volunteer information on the said candidates.

"Without an independent and corrupt-free COMELEC, all this talk about 2010 is a waste of time. These appointees will be running our elections; they will in effect dictate where this country is going. We cannot afford another period of dagdag-bawas and goons in government. If we want to see genuine change in this country, we need to start scrutinizing who runs our elections and ensure that only people with independence, credibility and sincerity handle our ballots," Kiko said.

Malacañang announced last Friday the appointment of a regional elections official, Armando Velasco, as COMELEC Commissioner. Commissioners Leonardo L. Leonida and Lucenito N. Tagle were also reappointed to their positions according to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

A quick check on Velasco's name on the Internet reveals a story in Bulatlat.com that as regional director of the Commission on Election in the Cordillera Administrative Region (Comelec-CAR), he allegedly distributed money in May 5 at the Skyrise Hotel in Bontoc, Mountain Province, during a Comelec-sponsored seminar on the very small aperture terminal to some local Comelec officials in the region, including provincial and municipal election officers.

"These are very serious allegations that need to be looked into. What are Mr. Velasco's qualifications? Are the issues against him true? What are his plans for the COMELEC as he takes office? The public deserves to know," Kiko added.

"Our Commission on Appointments must be steadfast in ensuring that only the deserving will be given such an important task in our government. I also call on our public to be vigilant and volunteer any information that will establish the fitness of these people for the COMELEC. The chance to turn this country around is not in 2010. It starts as early as now," Kiko ended.

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