Commission on Elections (Comelec) director John Rex Laudiangco
Commission on Elections (Comelec) director John Rex Laudiangco, head of the poll body鈥檚 law department, has been named the new spokesperson, replacing its longtime mouthpiece James Jimenez.
Comelec Chair Saidamen Pangarungan on Friday appointed Laudiangco in an acting capacity effective immediately. Jimenez will remain as the chief of the education and information department.
Laudiangco told reporters that he is 鈥渉umbled by the en banc鈥檚 decision.鈥�
In a statement to reporters, Jimenez sent well wishes to the new spokesperson.
鈥淔or my part, I shall continue to serve as faithfully as I have these past 18 years, with due deference to the will and wisdom of the commission,鈥� he said.
Aborted debates
Jimenez last week faced suspension after a task force found 鈥渞easonable cause鈥� to begin a formal fact-finding and administrative investigation of the aborted presidential debates.
The task force found that Jimenez, along with fellow director Frances Arabe, requested the release of P15.3 million to Impact Hub, the Comelec鈥檚 event partner in the debates, but the agency has not released details of the investigation.