Newly – appointed Comelec Commissioner George Garcia
MANILA, Philippines —Appointing election lawyer George Garcia as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is a “neutral” move, President Rodrigo Duterte said.
Duterte appointed Garcia and former Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Aimee Neri as Comelec commissioners, and former National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Secretary Saidamin Pangarungan as the election body’s chairman.
Garcia’s appointment drew flak as he once represented former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, who are both running in the presidential race.
“Ito namang si (Meanwhile) Garcia, would you believe it? He’s a neutral choice para sa akin kasi ito ‘yung (for me)—As a matter of fact, he was the… He has always been the lawyer of the late Boy Nograles, ito si (this) Garcia. Eh kaya ko in-appoint ‘yan (That’s why I appointed him)… Ever since, iyan ang sa kabila (he’s on the other side),” Duterte explained in an interview on Sonshine Media Network International on Saturday.
He likewise defended his appointment of Pangarungan.
“He’s a Maranao. He’s good. He’s a lawyer, at saka marami na itong dinaanan na sa gobyerno (He has a lot of government service experience),” said Duterte.
The president also expressed concern on what he alluded to as a collusion between communist groups and the opposition.
“There’s a parang grouping of the communists, itong mga (these) dilawan, pati itong mga—may isa pa (and these—there’s another one),” said Duterte.
“Iyan ang ano namin, diyan ang ano ng gobyerno. They are watching for that kind of situation. They might be—Iyon ang sinabi ko na puwedeng manggulo kasi (That is what I’m saying that they can create trouble) they have these working relations now with the dilawan and the election is the objective really,” he added.
The Communist Party of the Philippines, meanwhile, denied talks for a coalition government between any presidential candidates.