Lanto turns down appointment as Comelec comissioner

MANILA, Philippines - Former Lanao del Sur congressman Macabangkit Lanto has declined his appointment as commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Lanto declined the appointment through a letter dated March 9, addressed to President Aquino.

“With deep regret, I respectfully decline my appointment as a member of the Comelec,” the former congressman said in the letter.

He said that his decision is based "in large part to the controversy that surrounded my appointment."

Aquino's appointment of Lanto came even as the former congressman has an existing case with the Comelec for alleged coercion of Board of Election Inspectors in Lanao del Sur during the 2007 elections.

Lanto, meanwhile, denied the poll fraud allegation. Related story: Comelec confirms case vs Lanto

Election lawyer Bernadette Sardillo, who was also appointed by Aquino as Comelec commissioner, also declined the position.

Lanto and Sardillo were supposed to take the seats of retired Comelec commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco.

Meanwhile, the Comelec Employees Union (Comelec-EU) renewed its call to President Aquino to install insiders for the two vacant posts at the poll body.

The Comelec-EU is pushing for the appointment of Alexander Pilotin, Comelec Region II Regional Election Attorney and Ferdinand Rafanan, Comelec Planning Department Director and Chief Comelec Prosecutor for Election Sabotage cases.

"Our nominees are persons of integrity and competence. Wala silang bahid at bilang matatagal nang opisyal ng aming ahensya, subok na ang kanilang kakayahan hindi lamang sa pagpapatakbo ng halalan, kundi maging sa pagtitiyak sa kapakanan at kagalingan ng mga kawani," the group said.