Misspelling stalls new Comelec appointments

MANILA, Philippines—What’s in a name?

Apparently a lot if you are a government appointee.

The two new members of the Commission on Elections have not yet taken their seats but glitches in their appointment have held up their oath-taking, according to Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes.

Brillantes said the first name of Luie Guia was misspelled by Malacañang in his appointment papers while Al Parreño cannot leave the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) where he is a board member until the Palace names his replacement.

“There was a small problem with Commissioner Guia because of a wrong spelling (his first name was misspelled as ‘Louie’ in his appointment papers) so we returned it to Malacañang,” said Brillantes in an interview.

“So he cannot take his oath until we are given the new corrected (papers). As soon as they arrive, he can assume (office). It could be (today). He has also chosen his room here,” he said.

Brillantes said Parreño could not just leave the LTFRB after its three-member board lost its chairman, Jaime Jacob, who resigned last month.

“There are only two of them (LTFRB commissioners) left. If (Parreño) leaves, the agency will not function. So they are still waiting for his replacement before he can assume office here,” Brillantes said.

He said Parreño’s replacement may be announced within the week while Guia’s appointment papers may be signed before President Aquino leaves Wednesday for Brunei to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit.

“If he does not sign it, we’ll just have to wait. Anyway, it’s OK, we’re five here and all of us are working,” Brillantes said, referring to the current Comelec commissioners.—With a report from Jerome Aning