CA confirms George Garcia as Comelec chair

FILE PHOTO: Comelec interim chair George Erwin Garcia. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed on Wednesday the appointment of George Garcia as the chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Garcia, his former election lawyer, to head the poll body.

With the confirmation, Garcia will serve as Comelec chair until February 2, 2029.

In 2022, Garcia was appointed as Comelec commissioner by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

His appointment, however, was bypassed by the CA in June due to a lack of quorum.

Then Comelec chair Saidamen Pangarungan and commissioner Aimee Neri suffered the same fate as Garcia.

Garcia served as Marcos’ election lawyer during his electoral protest in the 2016 vice presidential poll, contesting the victory of former Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed Marcos’ protest, but he would again face off with Robredo in the 2022 presidential elections in which he won.

Following his former principal’s election, Garcia said he would inhibit cases involving his former clients.

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