Comelec chair, commissioner accept bypass by CA

Outgoing Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson Saidamen Pangarungan and Commissioner George Garcia have accepted the Commission on Appointments' (CA) decision to bypass their confirmation.

The bypassed appointments, along with Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri, mean they will serve only until June 30, the end of President Duterte's term.

Pangarungan stated he accepts the outcome "with a heavy heart" and thanked the Comelec staff.

He believes confirmation would have occurred if there had been a quorum in the CA.

Pangarungan and Garcia highlighted the successful 2022 elections, noting a record 83% voter turnout, the highest in Philippine automated election history.

Despite allegations of irregularities, Pangarungan pointed to the election being the most peaceful on record, with only 27 incidents of violence, a decrease from previous elections.