Lost in the emotions stoked by the slaughter of 44 police commandos in Maguindanao are the stories about the retirement of several key officials. Sixto Brillantes Jr. has just retired as chairman of the Commission on Elections along with commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph. Francisco Duque III retired as chief of the Civil Service Commission on Feb. 1. The next day, Grace Pulido-Tan also ended her stint as head of the Commission on Audit.
The newly vacant positions are among the most important in a democracy weakened by endemic corruption. In a functioning democracy, people power is manifested regularly in elections. Poll fraud, violence and dirty campaigns with no rules to regulate financing undermine not only the electoral process but democracy itself. The Comelec chairman and commissioners play a crucial role in ensuring that every electoral exercise is fair, free, honest and orderly, with votes counted as quickly and efficiently as possible.
For these positions, impartiality is an indispensable requirement. President Aquino must ensure that the next Comelec chief and commissioners will have no close ties to politicians, especially those known to be aiming for high office in 2016. An appointment that is seen to be favoring the President’s political party can quickly erode the credibility of the approaching general elections.
The same impartiality is required of the chief government auditor. The COA under Tan will be remembered for the “truckloads” of evidence it gathered against nearly 200 lawmakers, most of them incumbent, who must answer for the alleged questionable utilization of their pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Funds.
Ensuring that Congress and the executive will abide by the Supreme Court ruling on the PDAF and its cousin, the Disbursement Acceleration Program, will fall on the next COA chairman. State auditors are the taxpayers’ representatives in all government offices, tasked to promote the judicious use of people’s money. Auditors who fail to do their job, whether deliberately or through incompetence, are among the biggest reasons for the persistence of corruption.
In the war against graft and red tape, the head of the civil service is also in the front lines. President Aquino’s choices to replace the newly retired officials must reflect his much-touted commitment to the straight path.