Thread by @paterno_II

So President Duterte has named George Garcia, a former lawyer of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as new Comelec commissioner. Should the nation be worried?

Not necessarily.

A thread @rapplerdotcom #PHVote #WeDecide

George Garcia is a respected figure in the field of election law.

How do we know an election lawyer is respected in the field? Not through his/her clients – they take on all kinds of clients – but through their expertise. Garcia is no doubt an expert @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

Anyone who closely follows elections would know that an election lawyer can defend Client A this year, then defend his/her rival the next elections.

For election lawyers, lawyering for politicians is a job, not necessarily an indication of virtue @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

CONTEXT: While George Garcia was a lawyer for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2016 elections, he was most recently a counsel for Isko Moreno, a contender in the 2022 race.

Lawyering for politicians, again, is all in a day's work for election lawyers @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

CONTEXT: Sixto Brillantes Jr., the most prominent election lawyer in Comelec before Garcia, was a lawyer for Fernando Poe Jr. in the 2004 elections.

Then, in 2010, he was a lawyer for Noynoy Aquino, who was running against Poe's best friend, Erap Estrada @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

CONTEXT: In 2004, we witnessed daily word wars on TV between Sixto Brillantes Jr (lawyer for Poe) and Romulo Macalintal (lawyer for Arroyo), as Poe alleged cheating by Arroyo.

Covering Comelec, I realized Brillantes and Macalintal are actually good friends @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

...and when Macalintal ran for senator in 2019, guess who went to Comelec to endorse him? Ex-poll chief Brillantes and election lawyers Beng Sardillo and yes, now-Comelec Commissioner George Garcia.

Here's my story back then: rappler.com/nation/electio… @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

But, but, but - does this mean George Garcia can do no wrong as Comelec commissioner?

Of course NOT. We still need to be VIGILANT.

We just need to guard against assumptions purely based on ex-clients. Election law is a profession, not a gauge of character @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

For added context, in 2012, I sat down with Brillantes for a one-on-one interview, and asked him about Comelec and the "baggage" of an election lawyer like him.

My Q: "How sure are we that the Comelec is not a giant election operation by Sixto Brillantes?" @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

"No way.... Kasi lahat ng alam ko, na nangyayari when I was practicing, is what I am trying to resolve and solve and reverse," Brillantes told me.

We can only hope election lawyers named to Comelec, such as George Garcia, would have similar perspectives @rapplerdotcom #PHVote

Brillantes to me (2012): "Ngayon naman na wala na akong kliyente, ipaglalaban ko naman 'yung kliyente kong nag-iisa na lang: 'yung taumbayan. 'Yun lang ang sinasabi ko lagi."

WATCH:

Will it be the same with George Garcia? #PHVote @rapplerdotcom

CONTEXT: Regarding the timing of appointments, Comelec members have FIXED TERMS.

There really comes a time when the Comelec is packed with appointees of the sitting President. In the 2016 elections, for instance, all Comelec members were Aquino appointees @rapplerdotcom #PHVote