The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Saturday hit the appointment of lawyer Al Parreño as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner because of his alleged ties with the ruling Liberal Party (LP).
In a statement, UNA secretary general and campaign manager, Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco said the appointment of Parreño "is another attempt by the administration party to ensure its influence in the Comelec as part of its obsession with the presidency in 2016."
Tiangco said Parreño's appointment "is another glaring move by LP to place its associates in key positions within the Comelec, exposing the poll body to charges that it is losing its independence and is becoming a "Liberal-ized" institution."
The opposition coalition also questioned the Parreño's ties with LP President, Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II.
"We can clearly see the Liberal-ization of Comelec. Everyone knows that Parreño is another Mar Roxas-guy. They got busted with the backdoor appointment of Macabangkit Lanto, and now have another guy to fulfill LP's agenda for 2016," Tiangco said.
Lanto, a former representative of Lanao del Norte in Congress earlier declined his appointment as Comelec commissioner after it was discovered that he was involved in poll fraud in 2007.
Tiangco said Parreño was appointed by Roxas in July 2012 at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, when he was still secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication.
"The Palace is saying Parreno was not appointed because of his legal background, but mainly because of his experience in information technology (IT). So we have a Roxas loyalist as the Comelec's IT expert. With Grace Padaca around, LP has a strong leverage in the Comelec. This is LP's plan-B after Lanto," Tiangco said. JC Bello
