Duterte picks Abas as new Comelec chief; Devanadera to head ERC
President Rodrigo Duterte, in his speech during the tribute program dubbed ‘Ang Huling Tikas Pahinga: Isang Pagpupugay sa mga Bayani ng Marawi' held at the Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City on Nov. 21, 2017, recalls how he risked his life just to visit the soldiers in Marawi City citing that it’s his duty as Commander-in-Chief to check the condition of the troops. Presidential Photo/Rey Baniquet
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has nominated Commission on Elections Commissioner Sheriff Abas as the poll body’s new chairman, replacing the Andy Bautista who resigned amid an impeachment case against him.
Abas’ appointment paper was signed by Duterte last Wednesday, November 22 and was released by Malacañang on Friday, November 24.
Should he hurdle the powerful Commission on Appointments, Abas will sit as Comelec chief for a term expiring on Feb. 2, 2022.
To recall, Abas was among the six Comelec commissioners who called for Bautista’s leave of absence and resignation.
The six commissioners held a press conference last August, saying they were “constrained to come out in the open to strongly and urgently urge chair Bautista to go on leave of absence for such period as may be necessary or resign for his own sake.”
This was after Bautista’s estranged wife, Tish, accused him of amassing about P1 billion in unexplained fortunes, which was not included in his wealth declaration.
The House of Representatives decided to pursue the impeachment complaint against Bautista just hours after he sent his resignation letter to the president, rejecting the recommendation of its justice panel to throw out the complaint.
Despite offering to quit by yearend, the House of Representatives in October voted to impeach Bautista. The Palace later accepted his resignation effective “immediately.”
Abas was appointed alongside Bautista in 2015. Reports cite Mindanao lawyers raising questions about Abas' credentials, claiming he is a young lawyer and allegedly a relative of Moro Islamic Liberation Front chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.
The timing of his appointment was also challenged as Congress was deliberating the Bangsamoro Basic Law stemming from an agreement with the rebel group.
READ: Iqbal mum on ties with new Comelec commissioner
According to an online listing of registered lawyers, Abas hails from Cotabato City and was admitted to the Philippine bar on May 3, 2005.
Devanadera goes to ERC
The Palace also on Friday released the appointment papers of former solicitor-general Agnes Devanadera, who will replace Jose Vincente Salazar as chairperson of embattled Energy Regulatory Commission.
Devanadera will serve for a term expiring on July 10, 2022.
Her predecessor, Salazar, was dismissed by the Palace last month for grave misconduct and corruption in the procurement system of the agency.
Salazar said he would exhaust all legal options available to clear his name.
Meanwhile, the ombudsman last year filed graft cases against Devanadera and 18 other individuals before the Sandiganbayan in connection with a P6.1-billion settlement deal that a government corporation entered into with a private firm in 2006.
But the court dismissed the graft raps, saying Devanadera's constitutional right to speedy disposition of the case was violated by the ombudsman when it took the agency more than six years to finish its investigation on the complaint against her.
In June, state-prosecutors for the Office of the Ombudsman asked the Sandiganbayan to reconsider its ruling.
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