Manila, Philippines – The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed yesterday the appointments of Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. and Maria Gracia M. Pulido-Tan as Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Commission on Audit (CoA) chairmen.
Their confirmation during the CA’s delayed plenary session presided over by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, CA chairman, was recommended by Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy’’ Estrada as chairman of the CA constitutional commissions and offices committee.
Tan was easily confirmed but Brillantes had a difficult time. Brillantes had to hurdle the barriers put up by Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano and lawyer Ferdinand T. Rafanan who was ousted by the Comelec in an en banc decision as chief of the Comelec law department.
After several committee hearings where he put Brillantes through the CA grinder, Cayetano relented but only after getting a commitment and guarantee from Brillantes that he would reform the Comelec from top to bottom. (Mario B. Casayuran)