WATCH: What are the responsibilities of the new Comelec officials?

MANILA, Philippines – Pro-democracy group Participate will conduct a webinar on Friday, March 11, discussing the roles and responsibilities of the new appointees to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The virtual forum, scheduled at 10 am, will feature retired commissioners Luie Guia and Rowena Guanzon.

Malacañang, on Tuesday, March 8, announced the appointments of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos chief Saidamen Pangarungan as Comelec chairman, and election lawyer George Garcia and social welfare undersecretary Aimee Torrefranca-Neri as Comelec commissioners.

Their entry to the agency means the seven-member Comelec en banc is now complete two months ahead of the high-stakes May 9, 2022 elections, which will determine the successor of the man who selected them for their respective posts.

This scenario is similar to 2016, when all members of the Comelec en banc were appointees of then-president Benigno Aquino III.

Bookmark this page for the livestream of the webinar. – Rappler.com