Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes: I want Leila to be the next Comelec chair. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines–Although he believes her to be one of the most qualified for the post, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Sixto Brillantes on Wednesday clarified that he was not pushing for the appointment of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to replace him when he retires next year.
Brillantes stressed that he has not officially recommended De Lima to be the next chair of the Comelec to President Aquino.
“I did not recommend her. I have not recommended anybody. I am not going to push (for her),” he said, while disclosing that De Lima had confronted him over reports that he was campaigning for her to get the Comelec’s top post.
“[She] is angry with me, saying why am I pushing her,” he said.
Brillantes, however, admitted that he believes De Lima to be one of the most qualified for the post that he will be leaving.
“If you ask me, I want her to be the next Comelec chair because she used to be an election lawyer, she knows election laws very well,” he said.
De Lima worked at the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal from 1993 to 1995, after which she returned to private practice, focusing on election cases.
“But whatever I say is irrelevant because President Aquino will still be the one who will decide and appoint my successor,” Brillantes said.
Brillantes, along with Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph, will retire on Feb. 2, 2015.
De Lima has already indicated that she was not interested in being appointed Comelec chair.
It is believed she may have her sights on bigger things, like perhaps the Senate.
Last week, she got an early endorsement for the senatorial race from Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez during the Bureau of Immigration’s 74th anniversary celebration.
De Lima, however, claims not to have any plans in that direction yet.
“I really don’t know, I’m not sure yet whether I’m prepared to enter the political arena. People have been asking me about that, but honestly, I don’t know yet,” she said.
“I really do not know whether it’s Comelec chair, whether it’s senator or whatever else or maybe going to private life or private sector, it’s also an option. Let’s see. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” she said.
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