Brillantes asked to finish what he started before quitting

Re-electionist Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero . Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net

CEBU CITY,  Philippines –Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. should finish first the mid-term elections in May before thinking of changing careers, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said over the weekend.

“Para sa akin dapat tapusin nya kung ano sinimulan nya. Ilang buwan na lang bago matapos ang election, tapusin na sana nya yun bago sya mag isip ng bagong career.  [For me, he should finish first what he has started. The election will be over in a few months, I hope he finishes it first before thinking a new career],” Escudero told Manila- based reporters in an interview after attending a sortie here Friday night.

“Karapatan  nya yun pero wag naman. Less than one month na lang bago mag election, sana tapusin nya na yung sinimulan nya [That’s his right but please don’t. It’s just less than a month before the elections, I hope he would finish what he has started], ” he said.

Escudero was reacting to Brillantes’ statement that he would ask President Benigno Aquino III to give him an ambassadorial post, preferably in Easteran Europe, should he decide to resign from Comelec.

The poll chief has threatened to step down after the Supreme Court stopped the Comelec’s ruling on airtime limit for political advertisements on radio and television.

While Brillantes’ sentiments were understandable, Escudero said leaving the Comelec before the May 2013 elections might cause bigger problems for the poll body.

“Syempre  kailangan mo mag appoint ng panibago, hindi pa sanay yung bagong iaappoint mo, may bakante na naman sa Comelec, baka magbago yung policy [Of course you have to appoint again. There will be another vacancy in the Comelec. There might be changes in the policy],” he pointed out.

“Buo ang tiwala ko na tatapusin yan ni chairman Brillantes. Siguro tulad ng ibang tao, tao lang, naiinis, nabubuwisit kapagka may polisiya sila at pagbabago at reporma na hindi natutuloy o hinihirang ng korte [I have full confidence that chairman Brillantes would finish his work. Maybe like other human beings, he also gets disappointed when there are policies or reforms that did not push through or because the Supreme Court would stop it],” the senator added.

But asked if Brillantes was qualified to be an ambassador, Escudero said: “I guess so yes, hindi pa naman sya nag re-retire. Di pa naman sya retired [He has not yet retired]. I think he is. But not yet. Again, tapusin nya muna yung trabaho nya.”