MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Elections Commissioner George Garcia has informed the poll body that he will take no part in the pending cases involving presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Garcia wrote to the Office of the Clerk of Commission that he will inhibit from deliberations of at least six cases involving Marcos, whom he lawyered for in the candidate’s poll protest in 2016.
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The poll commissioner said this is “in keeping with [his] firm commitment and to ensure fairness in the resolution of the cases pending before this Commission.”
“The public’s confidence in this Commission should not be eroded by any semblance of bias or prejudice. As a newly appointed Commissioner it is my duty to avoid impropriety,” he added.
LOOK | Here's the list of pending cases in the COMELEC which newly-minted Commissioner George Garcia inihibitted from. pic.twitter.com/V2sjN4WiHN
— Greg Gregorio (@GVGregorio_TV5) March 10, 2022
The veteran elections lawyer also earlier said he will recuse from cases involving his former clients, which also include Sen. Grace Poe and even former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Most recently, he had been part of the legal team of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who is also a presidential candidate.
Garcia assumed office at the poll body on Thursday, while Comelec chief Saidamen Pangarungan and Aimee Neri also took office earlier this week. President Rodrigo Duterte’s three recent appointments complete the seven-member Comelec en banc.
Appeals on junked legal challenges against Marcos’ presidential bid are currently pending before the Comelec en banc. Proceedings in these cases are also expected to reach the Supreme Court.
Comelec chief Pangarungan, in his message on Tuesday, said the "sanctity of the vote" shall be the Commission’s guiding principle.
"We will honor and protect the Constitution in every decision we pen, in every program and project we undertake, and even in every single vote we count," he added. — Kristine Joy Patag with a report from News5/Greg Gregorio