Ex-Comelec Commissioner Garcia after CA’s bypass: No regrets, happy to have been part of historic moment

Despite his appointment as commissioner of the poll body was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA), former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia said he does not regret serving at the poll body.

“No regrets whatsoever, I’m so happy that I was part of that historic moment,” he said during an interview with CNN Philippines, Thursday, June 2.

Garcia admitted that he was saddened by what transpired, but said that he fully understands the process.

The former Comelec executive noted that he and his fellow nominees were not rejected by the CA, adding that what happened is that there was no quorum that’s why their appointments were bypassed.

“We understand fully the process at the same time we fully accept ‘yung nangyari (what happened). What can we do if there is really no quorum,” he said.

Learned a lot

In serving the Comelec for two months, Garcia said he learned a lot and realized that his knowledge of Election Law is “not enough” in working at the poll body.

“What is important is you have the managerial skill, the operational skill, and people approach skill, the emotional quotient skill, so everything wala po sa (is not present in) Election Law practice,” he said.

Garcia said the most important thing he learned is that electoral reforms is key in order to ensure that the good things that happened in the past polls will be repeated.

“At the same time, we have to learn from a lot of mistakes we have committed so that it will not be committed in the next elections,” he added.

Garcia started his journey as commissioner of the Comelec on March 8 after Pres. Duterte appointed him.

He has pushed for transparency in the poll body and has been very transparent to the public about the processes and operations of the Comelec.