Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr is the current chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec). He was appointed by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....

 on January 16, 2011 to serve the unexpired term of Chairman Jose Melo

Jose Melo

Jose Armando R. Melo is a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1992 to 2002. He is a former Chairman of the Commission on Elections , and was succeeded by election lawyer Sixto Brillantes.-Early life and education:Melo was born...

.

Election Lawyer

Some quarters fear he may not be an objective Comelec chief, having served popular clients such as former President Joseph Estrada

Joseph Estrada

Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...

 and the Ampatuan family.

Brillantes, who resigned as poll lawyer following his appointment on Saturday, said: “Marami ang nakakakilala sa akin, and for the last 20 years, ako ho ang humahabol sa mga operator.”

Even former Senator Manuel Roxas II supposedly expressed reservations over his appointment. He allegedly voiced out his fears to President Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....

 that Brillantes may favor senator Francis Escudero

Francis Escudero

Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero is a Filipino politician who has been a member of the Philippine Senate since 2007...

 or Vice-President Jejomar Binay

Jejomar Binay

Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...

 in the 2016 elections.

COMELEC Chairman

On January 16, 2011, President Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Aquino III

Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....

 has appointed him as successor to COMELEC chairman Jose Melo

Jose Melo

Jose Armando R. Melo is a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1992 to 2002. He is a former Chairman of the Commission on Elections , and was succeeded by election lawyer Sixto Brillantes.-Early life and education:Melo was born...

. He took his oath of office on January 17, 2011. Brillantes chose Philippine Supreme Court Justice Eduardo Nachura to administer the oath because of their connections to the San Beda College of Law.

See also

• Commission on Elections (Philippines)
  Commission on Elections (Philippines)
  The Commission on Elections, or COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines. Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, initiatives, referendums, and recalls....