Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr.: Welcoming. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—“We now have two women, two Muslims and three handsome men,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said as he welcomed President Aquino’s decision to fill up the two vacancies in the commission.
Brillantes said the appointment of former Lanao del Norte Rep. Macabangkit Lanto, a Muslim, and Maria Bernadette Sardillo—both of whom are lawyers—would help the Comelec in expediting the disposition of pending election cases.
2 Muslims
“They will both help us and I welcome them … This would be the first time, as I can recall, that there will be two Muslims in the commission,” Brillantes said. Commissioner Elias Yusoph is also a Muslim.
He said Lanto’s wide experience in government would help the commission.
Brillantes said that while he had hoped that an information technology expert or an insider would be appointed, he was not disappointed with the President’s decision.
Prerogative
“This is the President’s prerogative. While I did not expect it, at least I know them both,” he said.
“Beng Sardillo will be able to help us a lot in the cases because she is a practitioner. Lanto has been all over the government,” Brillantes added.
Brillantes said that while the two appointees might have to make adjustments when it comes to the automated elections, they will be ready to “dispose of the cases.”