Veteran IT expert Gus Lagman is new COMELEC commissioner

Agusto C. Lagman

MANILA, Philippines - President Noynoy Aquino has appointed IT professional Augusto C. Lagman as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner for a term that will expire until February 2, 2018, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced today.

Lagman is currently chairman of Vinta Systems, Inc, developer of AI-oriented software products. He is also director of STI College Recto and Biometrix Technologies, according to his curriculum vitae. 

Valte said it was Lagman’s “competence” that made him clinch the position. Valte said the President has always expressed his intention to appoint an IT expert “given the issues that the commission had faced during the last election.”

Asked why it took the President almost three months to name the appointee for the vacant slot, Valte said, “The President really wanted to find the right persons for the job. And sometimes it really takes quite some time to give over the shortlist and the nominees and you do know that sometimes also the President takes a personal hand in interviewing some nominees for any prospective position.”  [By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News]