The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday announced the appointment of Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal and Noli Pipo as the newest commissioners of the poll body.

Casingal, who had served as the director of Comelec’s law department since 2016, is a career official with 27 years of service in the poll body.

Pipo, on the other hand, served as director of the Comelec-Ilocos Region since 2006 and has held various positions within the agency since 1993.

Casingal expressed surprise upon learning of her ad interim appointment and extended her gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for selecting a Comelec insider.

“I thank President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for heeding the call of chairman (George Garcia) to appoint a Comelec insider,” she said.

“I also thank Chairman Garcia for his trust and confidence in me. I assure him that I will support him and all his projects,” she added.

Earlier, Garcia said that it would be much better if new commissioners came from within the Comelec because they were already familiar with the problems.

Pipo will take the place of retired Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, while Casingal will take over the seat vacated by Commissioner Socorro B. Inting.

Inting and Casquejo retired on 2 February.

Pipo began his career as an election officer in Bangued, Abra, from 1993 to 1996, before serving as provincial election supervisor in Ilocos Norte from 1996 to 2004. He then became an assistant regional election director until 2006.

Garcia noted that it would be ideal to have a woman and a career official among the new appointees.

Casingal will serve in the Comelec First Division alongside Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Ernesto Maceda Jr.