Lawyer berated by Senator Santiago new Comelec exec

MANILA, Philippines—Remember the private prosecutors Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago gave a dressing down to during the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona?

One of them was lawyer Arthur Lim and he has just been appointed by Malacañang as the seventh and last member of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), replacing former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca.

Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes confirmed this, saying Lim was scheduled to take his oath on Monday.  “We got his appointment papers from Malacañang on Friday,” Brillantes said in a phone interview with the Inquirer.

Brillantes described Lim as a top-caliber lawyer who was once president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

“He is a senior lawyer like me. He became president of the IBP so I think he is a very good lawyer,” Brillantes said.

Lim will serve until Feb. 2, 2018, to complete the unfinished term of Commissioner Augusto Lagman. In 2012, Aquino appointed Padaca to replace Lagman after he was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.

Lim, one of the 57 private prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Corona, was berated by Santiago at least twice for “engaging in oratory” and arguing with the senator-judges.

Santiago scolded Lim for talking out of turn and threatened to cite him for contempt.

“I don’t think there is a problem with that,” Brillantes said when the dressing-down incidents were brought up.

Lim’s appointment completes the seven-member commission, easing out Padaca who was bypassed by the CA and was not reappointed by President Aquino.

Padaca is facing charges of malversation and graft in the Sandiganbayan, one of which is for the awarding of a P25-million grant to the Economic Development for Western Isabela and Northern Luzon Foundation Inc. without the approval of the Isabela provincial board at the time she was governor. Niña P. Calleja

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