The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday bypassed the confirmation of Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Saidamen Pangarungan and two other top officials of the poll body, and two officials of other constitutional bodies.
Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the committee on constitutional commissions and offices, said the CA hearing on the nomination of the five officials, all appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte, was cancelled due to the lack of a quorum.
Also bypassed were Comelec Commissioners George Erwin Garcia and Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, Commission on Audit Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justol, and Civil Service Commission Chairman Karlo Alexei Nograles.
Villar said only nine members attended the CA hearing, one member short of a quorum.
She said the bypassed officials can be re-appointed under the new administration because the CA merely bypassed and did not reject them.
They will serve in their own respective posts until June 30, 2022, the end of the Duterte administration.
The CA hearing on the ad interim appointments of the five was postponed on Monday, after Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said they should give President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a chance to pick his own appointees.
Pangarungan said Wednesday that he accepted being bypassed “with a heavy heart.”
“Today, my ad interim appointment as Chairman of the Comelec ends. It is with a heavy heart that I accept such an outcome but I would like to restate my utmost respect to the actions of the CA,” he said.
Pangarugan said he was proud that under his watch, the Comelec was able to successfully conduct the 2022 national and local elections last May 9 with the fastest proclamation of winning senators, the President and Vice President, and party list representatives, as well as the highest voter turnout in Philippine election history at 83.07 percent.
The Palace was mum after five nominees of President Duterte were bypassed by the bicameral Commission on Appointments.
Acting Presidential spokesman Martin Andanar did not reply to messages from the media as President Rodrigo Duterte is set to leave his office on June 30.
However, the Palace earlier said those bypassed by the CA could be re-appointed by the next administration.
Under the law, the bicameral CA must approve all the ad interim appointees, whom Duterte appointed in March when Congress was in recess.
Garcia said he was saddened that his appointment was bypassed, but happy for the chance to serve in the last elections, where he stood out, often holding briefings. The veteran election lawyer said he may return to teaching, or practice election law.
He said he would accept staying on as Comelec commissioner should the next administration ask.
