Palace panel scouting for new Comelec chief

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday activated its search committee to scout for the replacement of Jose Melo following his resignation as chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

President Aquino issued the order to the search committee after accepting the resignation of Melo. 

Mr. Aquino also ordered the committee to scout for other people to fill the two vacancies in the poll body.

Melo’s resignation will be effective Jan. 31, cutting short his term as Comelec chief which is until 2015.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda confirmed Melo had a meeting with the President but did not elaborate.

Mr. Aquino, for his part, is also mum on whether he offered Melo a new post after he was told by the Comelec chairman of his plan to retire from government service.

“I still have four years to go in my term but I believe it is time to move on. Indeed, I signed up for this job, as I have previously intimated to Your Excellency, with the sole intention of giving our people credible elections and an unchallenged President. I believe we accomplished both,” Melo said in his letter to the President.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who read Melo’s letter dated Nov. 22, said “we could not agree more” with what Melo said in his letter.

Ochoa said the President appreciated Melo for leading the Comelec in the successful the May 10 elections.

Ochoa also dismissed insinuations that Aquino asked Melo to quit Comelec and be appointed to another post.

After the President formally accepted Melo’s resignation, Ochoa said Malacañang started the process of looking for the right replacement.

“Perhaps that is precisely the reason why Chairman Melo sent this ahead… to give us the time to process possible replacement,” Ochoa said.

Ochoa said Melo did not recommend anyone to take his place.

Melo, for his part, said he is not totally shutting himself out. “I’m not seeking any position but I’m not shutting any door to where we can still serve,” he said.

Melo said he is still willing to work under the Aquino administration but not on a full-time basis since he has been in government for 48 years.

According to Melo, he could no longer wait for his term to end by February 2015 because he is already 78 years old. “That’s too long. I will be 83 by that time and I might no longer be able to climb the stairs by then,” he remarked.

Melo, however, clarified that he resigned, and not filed for early retirement. He noted that he could not avail of any of the benefits of retiring.

Asked about his possible replacement, Melo said Malacañang could have probably made the choice since he had floated his plan to resign in late June or early July through Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

Melo said he was able to discuss his possible resignation with the President during a meeting in Malacañang last August.

He recalled during the meeting that Aquino did not ask for his opinion about his possible successor, leaving an impression that the President might already have someone in mind.

Sources revealed Malacañang is about to embark on a reshuffle in the Cabinet following the resignation of Melo.

Former ambassador to the US Albert del Rosario is likely to be the next secretary of foreign affairs, replacing Alberto Romulo, according to highly placed sources at Malacañang.

Romulo will then assume the chairmanship of the Commission on Audit (COA), a powerful constitutional body. The turnover is expected around yearend.

Del Rosario served as the Philippine ambassador to the United States for five years, from 2001-2006.

Romulo, on the other hand, served as budget secretary of the late President Corazon Aquino in 1986.

Sources also revealed Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno will be leaving soon.

Puno drew flak for his perceived inadequacy during the Aug. 23 Manila bus hostage incident. He was also implicated by retired archbishop Oscar Cruz in illegal gambling protection racket. – With Sheila Crisostomo