Newly-appointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia is pushing for transparency in the poll body.
“It should be like living in a glass cage. The entire electoral process from the preparation leading to D-day, election day from casting of votes to proclamation and post election activities should always be opened for everyones scrutiny leaving not even a dint of doubt to the integrity and reliability of the results,” Garcia said in a text message to the Manila Bulletin on Saturday, March 12.
Garcia said this will be achieved by allowing all stakeholders of the polls to raise their concerns, sentiments, suggestions, and even criticisms.
“But most importantly , they should be heard and listened to. After all, its not only Comelec 's election. Its our election,” he noted.
“Our future, our common aspiration. To sum it up, this is what participatory democracy is all about- power from the sovereign,” the poll commissioner added.
On March 8, Garcia took oath as commissioner before then acting Comelec Chairperson Socorro B. Inting at Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.
President Duterte appointed Gacia to fill one of the vacant seats of Comelec en banc. According to Garcia, he did not apply and was surprised when he was told by the Malacañang that he was being considered for the said post.
In 2016, the poll lawyer represented then vice-presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. in his electoral protest, and then presidential candidate Grace Poe in her disqualification case.
Garcia has also served as lawyer for the 2022 presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
Recently, the new commissioner has inhibited from the case that he previously handled, saying he did such “to protect the integrity of Comelec.”