
Poll watchdogs said the public should be vigilant during the selection of four officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in 2022.
Both Kontra Daya and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) expressed their support for the proposal of public's participation of vetting candidates for the positions of chairman and commissioners of Comelec.
“Public vetting of Comelec vacancies should be a mechanism for consultation, not cooptation. There should be clear guidelines to make the process transparent, especially in the case of choosing the next commissioners,” said Kontra Daya Convenor Danilo Arao.
"Public vetting is transparency and inclusiveness when it comes to governance. Its good side is that the public can help in vetting and dissecting those who will be appointed," said Lente Executive Director Atty. Ona Caritos for her part.
Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas, Commissioners Rowena Guanzon and Antonio Kho Jr. are set to retire in February 2022, three months before the conduct of the national and local elections. Also, there is one vacancy in the Comelec en banc.
President Duterte will appoint a new Comelec chairman and three commissioners to fill the said positions before the end of his term.
Arao said that “public pressure” is also important aside from public vetting.
“It is not enough. Public pressure is key to a more responsible appointment of the next commissioners, as in the case of voter registration extension,” he said.