New poll officials take oath
Lawyer George Erwin M. Garcia on Tuesday, March 8, took oath as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner before acting Comelec Chair. Socorro B. Inting at Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila.
Garcia was picked by Pres. Duterte to fill one of the three vacant seats of Comelec en banc.
In 2016, the election lawyer represented then vice-presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. in his electoral protest, and then presidential candidate Grace Poe in her disqualification case.
Garcia has also served as lawyer for the 2022 presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Comelec Chairperson Saidamen B. Pangarungan took oath before Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.
Pangarungan was the former head of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos or NCMF.
From 1988 to 1992, the new chairperson of the poll body served as governor of Lanao del Sur.