Commission on Appointments defers confirmation of Comelec chief Brillantes

SENATE FACEOFF. Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes faced the powerful Commission on Appointments on Wednesday amid strong opposition by Senate Minority Leader Alan Cayetano. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Commission on Appointments has deferred the confirmation of Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes, preventing the expected faceoff between him and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano was present during Wednesday’s hearing of the committee on constitutional commissions and offices but unable to fire a single question at Brillantes.

At the start of the confirmation hearing, Brillantes was swamped by questions from committee members.

But because of the lateness of the hour, the committee decided to suspend the hearing. It will resume next week.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Cayetano said he would just reserve his questions for Brillantes next week.

Among the issues that he would raise, Cayetano said, was an alleged attempt by Brillantes to blackmail him to get his vote at the CA.

Brillantes was unfazed.

Also speaking to reporters after the hearing, the elections chair said he was ready to answer all the questions that the senator would throw at him.

But Brillantes had just one appeal to Cayetano: “Just be fair. Just be fair to me.”

Originally posted 11:58 am | Wednesday, June 1st, 2011