MANILA - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) employees union has endorsed the application of Director Ferdinand Rafanan for the position of Comelec commissioner.

Rafanan is the Comelec’s director for planning and lead prosecutor of the Comelec panel against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Union president Mark Ramirez wrote President Aquino to endorse Rafanan. The union earlier announced its support for another insider, lawyer Alexander Pilotin, election officer from Region 2, for commissioner.

There are 2 vacancies in the 7-man commission after the retirement of Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco early last month.

Rafanan himself wrote President Aquino to apply for the job last January 25.

In his letter to Aquino, Rafanan cited his work as chairman of the bids and awards committee (BAC) that awarded the automated election system contract to Smartmatic for the 2010 automated elections which, he said, resulted in savings of P4.1 billion.

He also cited his investigation of the ballot secrecy folder scam which resulted in the dismissal of the former BAC of the Comelec and suspension of Comelec officials, including Executive Director Jose Tolentino.

Tolentino was slapped with a 6-month suspension by the Ombudsman in 2010. He did not contest the Ombudsman order.

Rafanan was assigned as lead prosecutor of the Comelec panel prosecuting former president Arroyo and former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos for electoral sabotage in 2007.